Yakusoku
by Meiwa Chinmoku
Summary: He always valued his promises. He would stay by her side because he wanted to spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her. In time he knew that she would forgive him, because that's the type of person she was.
1. The Promise

**Meiwa Says: **Well, I'm pretty new to this fandom _(considering it is pretty limited)_ and the lack of stories needed to be addressed, thus this fic was born! It's actually thanks to the Naruto fandom that I was even exposed to this anime. I've even taken to reading parts of the manga (which I don't usually do). To be honest, this is my first angsty piece so I'm really, really nervous about it. I hope I do this pairing justice!

**Warnings: **There are mentions of rape, sexual harassment and the like. Please, turn away from this story if these things may hurt or offend you. Also unbeta-ed.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Nisekoi or Titanic.

* * *

**Yakusoku**  
_by Meiwa Chinmoku_

There was little to speculate about the couple walking down the streets of Tokyo, hanging off of each other's arms. It was already December, and the Christmas spirit was undeniably visible along the busy metropolitan streets. This particular couple did not stand out amidst the others, as they looked like simple teenagers out on a date.

However there was more to it than meets the eye, as these two eighteen-year-old teens were forced into a loveless relationship for the sake of preventing a war between their families.

Kirisaki Chitoge was bundled up neatly upon layers of coats, obviously disliking the cold temperature based on the furrow of her brows. Her usually pale cheeks were flushed and she blew out some air to keep herself warm.

The man next to her was more comfortable, only wearing an unbuttoned trench coat and a scarf. He was glancing down at his companion, suitably dressed for a snowstorm that wasn't even going to come. Her outfit was complete with the earmuffs, mittens and fluffy boots. To be honest, in the two years he'd known her, this was truly the only time he realized how irritated she was at the cold weather.

"Why are you so unused to the cold?" Raku asked, genuinely curious. She pouted even further, burying herself deeper into her coat. "I mean, you do have snow in America, don't you?"

"Only in some places…where I come from, it's sunny every day. Both my parents were always too busy working to actually bring me out of California," she said. Although she had tied back her familial connections, he could still see the traces of nonchalance in her eyes.

Raku frowned a bit at her change in mood, but continued to walk alongside her in silence.

Raku had picked her up this morning at the insistence of his father. He explained that strolling down the white streets of Tokyo amidst the blinking lights was the perfect scene for romance. Sometimes, he felt like his father was taking this acting thing far too seriously, it didn't feel staged at all. But he knew that they were both just actors playing their scenes.

Suddenly, Chitoge's face brightened, warming her entire demeanor. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at the billboard displaying a large boat and two lovers intertwined with each other.

She squealed, hearts in her eyes. She clutched both her hands dramatically. "It's Titanic! I can't believe it's showing here!"

"What's the big deal?" he asked. "Isn't that movie a bit...old? I'm pretty sure it aired in the 90s."

"Yeah, but I've never had the chance to watch it when I was a kid." Her blue yes gazed at the sparkling letters, looking dreamlike. She was silent for a few moments, mouth spread into a grin and cheeks pink from the excitement. It was times like these when Raku would unconsciously study her, noting that she was pretty cute when she wasn't acting like a gorilla.

"Why couldn't you just get it in DVD or something?" he said as they resumed strolling down the path on their way to school. Chitoge's mood was brighter than ever and she skipped like a little girl.

"Well..." Her face sunk, looking disappointed. "You see, when I was three, Okaa-san promised to watch the movie with me. She said that her grandmother was a survivor in the ship and she was always inspired by the story. She promised that she would watch Titanic with me during Christmas where we would sit by a fireplace and toast s'mores. But that day, she had an emergency meeting so she and my father left me alone for Christmas."

Raku felt even worse. He knew that Chitoge had family issues even before she moved to Japan. It was one of the main reasons why she was so insecure.

Before he could say anything to raise her dampen spirits, she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, smiling kindly.

"Ne, Raku..."

He looked at her.

"Do you think maybe...we can watch it together?"

"Eh?"

"W-Well, they are expecting that we would go out before Christmas and what better way to convince them of that but to watch a romantic movie!"

Raku thought about it. He had been _'going out'_ with her for nearly two years now, and it wasn't as bad as he first pegged it to be. Although they fought like a married couple, they had moments wherein they just enjoyed each other's company like good friends. Raku would never admit it, but he was thankful for all the things they'd gone through. By now, he had almost forgotten about his promise girl. It was only through the persistent reminder of the existence of both Chitoge and Onodera's keys did he keep remembering the locket.

He thought about her offer. It wasn't as if they hadn't watched a movie on a 'date' before, but he knew this movie and it was filled with romance. It was a movie he would prefer to watch with Onodera, but he wouldn't tell her that. Besides, it made him feel like an asshole especially knowing how this must mean to her. It was another Christmas she was going to share with his family, hers being out in America.

"Okay, fine," he said. He did not regret it when he saw her face shine. "We'll meet up here at eight."

"Okay, it's a date!"

When she smiled at him, he swore his heart skipped a beat.

* * *

He gazed outside the classroom window, enjoying the view as he watched the snowflakes descend down into the ground. Raku absolutely loved snow – he always had, even as a child. It was one of the reasons why he could tolerate such low temperatures.

Discussions were slow at this time of the year. It was almost Christmas break and both the teachers and students were eager to get the week over with and spend it with their loved ones. As such, Raku found himself contemplating on his and Chitoge's exchange as they walked through the streets.

Even though he'd heard the words nearly a hundred times before, hearing her claim that it was a date fazed him, especially when she looked incredibly sincere as if she wasn't faking it. Raku knew that letting his thoughts get to _that _point would only severely confuse him even more. Ever since the Christmas incident two years ago, wherein her mother actually questioned him on the genuineness of their 'relationship', he truly wondered if there was anything more to it. There were times wherein Chitoge's actions would feel so honest.

In his defense, all the things he'd done for her were purely genuine. Raku wasn't the type of guy to leech off an opportunity to date a beautiful girl. Despite growing up in a yakuza family, he was raised to be a gentleman. He never questioned how much he cared for the girl and how he worried whenever she would face a problem.

After all, he was the only one who really knew her inside and out. He was the only one who knew her irrational fear for many things – whether it was the dark, ghosts or even thunder. Many of their classmates saw her as the tough girl who could face anything, but in reality she was just a child at heart.

In all honesty, he couldn't deny her request at watching Titanic even if he wanted to. She was so fragile growing up, that all her memories of loneliness always came back to haunt her. Raku himself helped fix that problem by letting them reacquaint with each other again, but it did not erase those feelings that gripped her heart until now.

What confused him deeply was how he always wanted to ensure that those feelings would never have to resurface again. Surely, what he felt for her was nothing more than camaraderie in fanning out the flames between their family feuds as well as friendship, deeply rooted with the experiences and trust built upon them.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he failed to realize Onodera trying desperately to catch his attention.

She was becoming increasingly worried at his lack of response, noticing from the corner of her eye how he subtly watched Chitoge furiously write down notes of the lecture. Onodera giggled, knowing that Chitoge was naturally studious and wrote down these notes even if they'd already discussed it a week before.

It was only until she grasped Raku's arm that he came back to the real world.

"Ne, are you okay, Ichijou-kun?"

Somewhere, a distant part of his brain exploded with joy and embarrassment at having been caught daydreaming by his not-so-secret crush. Feeling her touch his arm made him shiver in anticipation and the way she looked at him made him feel as though he could die happy.

"H-Hai, I'm fine!" he chuckled, trying to ease the awkwardness away. It was one of those rare moments he could really get to talk to her, alone with no interruptions.

"That's good. I was beginning to get worried when you looked so spaced out."

As she looked up at him through her lashes, his face automatically broke out in a grin.

"I…um…I was wondering…" Onodera began sheepishly, toying with the long strand of hair. "If you would…um like to spend some time…with me?"

All his previous thoughts flew out the window at the prospect of being able to spend time with her alone. Whether it was considered a date or not, he could care less. It was his time to shine.

"S-Sure…where…?"

"Y-You see, there's been an order placed to make strawberry cake…but I'm not very good at cooking…and Okaa-san is out of town." Onodera was flushing deeply and it almost seemed like steam was rising out of her ears. "I was hoping if you'd…come over to the bakery tonight and if it's okay…help me out with it? I mean, I know you're very good at cooking, Ichijou-kun and I would be greatly honored if you could help us out."

He felt his heart shoot out of his body. She had complimented him on his cooking prowess! "Of course, I'd be really happy to help you out...anything for a friend." The last part came by so sudden that even he was not aware of what he said.

She looked deflated for a moment, but grinned back at him nonetheless. "Great! I guess I'll meet you at the gates after school, then."

These three teenagers were unaware of the terrors that were to befall them that night.

* * *

"Ne, ojou-sama are you really sure –"

Chitoge rifled through her closet, searching for the most perfect outfit she could procure. She'd been on many 'dates' with Raku before, but somehow, she wanted to treat this one as genuine as her feelings for him were. Of course, he would only treat it as fake, but it didn't mean that she couldn't hope. After all, she was finally going to see the movie she had yearned to watch since she was young.

"I'll be fine, Tsugumi, you don't have to worry. Raku will be there. Besides, I can take care of myself," Chitoge said, holding up a pastel pink dress to her figure. He probably wouldn't even see what she was wearing, given she'd be wearing a trench coat, however it was one of those times she could spoil herself into her fantasy. "That goes same for you, too, Claude. If I so much as catch you both peeping at our date, you'll be sorry."

Of course she meant that she was going to give them the detestable, cringe-worthy Chitoge Silent Treatment for however long she deemed fit. Claude had survived only three days and broke down, begging for her forgiveness. Tsugumi only lasted three hours before she had cried her eyes out and dropped to her knees in front of Chitoge. Both of them would have preferred a beating from her than the absolute torture of being ignored by their beloved mistress.

Claude winced, bowing. "I apologize, ojou-sama, but that cannot happen. As you see, I am your bodyguard and therefore am tasked to protect you against dangers in the streets. The movie you will be watching will be running at a very late time, and I cannot have you –"

"I'll be fine, Claude," she said reassuringly, settling for a maroon dress that fell to her knees like waves. Her eyes softened as she remembered who she would be with. As real as both Claude and Tsugumi's worries were, Chitoge could protect herself against the occasional lecherous man. "Raku will be there with me. If you're so worried, I'll allow you both to call me later tonight to ease your worries."

Tsugumi looked uncomfortable. She had sworn to give her life protecting Chitoge since they were kids, it did not feel right to leave her so vulnerable in the streets of Tokyo.

"All right, ojou-sama," said the blue-haired girl. Chitoge was stubborn, and she would hold on to her threat. "But you have to at least let us take you there!"

The blond sighed. "Fine…"

The walk to the cinema was strange. Chitoge stood between two incredibly anxious bodyguards who were flinching at every 'suspicious' thing they came across. Every alleyway near the vicinity of the cinemas was checked and double-checked, and practically everyone they strolled past was given a scrutinizing stare. It was a strange scene, to say the least. But truly, she valued both of them very much.

"Okay, we're here." Chitoge grinned. She was happy that she would finally be free from her overbearing companions. They were slightly early, and the cinema was pretty empty – after all, the movie was pretty old and most people were busy doing their last minute Christmas shopping to be bothering with Titanic. This soothed her worries quite a bit. At least they would get a semblance of privacy. "C'mon, Tsugumi, Claude, you promised you would walk me here. It's time for you both to go home."

"I'm afraid I cannot agree to that, ojou-sama," Claude said, holding his gun in one hand and sticking close to her, glaring at those who passed by. "That boy has not yet arrived, therefore we cannot ensure your safety as of yet."

Tsugumi stuck to her other side. "I agree with Claude-san. It is much too dangerous to leave you alone."

Chitoge winced. There was only one way to get rid of them both.

"Leave now, both of you…or else…" The threat hung in the incredibly dense air. To her surprise, they still remained at her side but at her words, she could feel them stiffen. Both Tsugumi and Claude were not pleased with the prospect of being ignored, but stayed strong for her sake. "I will give you five seconds."

Before she got to one, however, both of them were off.

Chitoge sighed, smiling to herself and clasping her hands together. Her heart was beating quickly now, and her eyes softened at the thought of who she was waiting for. Even if she hated the cold, she endured it…for him.

* * *

_8:45_

Raku was giddy with happiness when he arrived at the Onodera household especially at the thought of them being alone. Onodera said that both her mother and sister were off visiting a sick relative, leaving her to the care of their bakery. She sheepishly told him that it was a bad idea, since she knew absolutely nothing from cooking.

"I'm sure we can do this. Now, where did you keep that recipe again?"

"It's right here…" she whispered, leaning across him to get the book.

He was not unaware of the way her shoulder touched his and how her fingertips grazed along his hand.

* * *

_9:30 p.m._

She sighed, leaning against the lamp post as she waited patiently for his arrival. She was staring at her phone, feeling even more disappointed at the lack of new messages. She had tried texting him, calling him, but it ended with nothing.

_Just a little bit longer_, she thought to herself. Maybe he was just caught up in something.

Chitoge looked up at the sky.

_You promised._

* * *

"Like this…?"

"No, Onodera – don't!"

The sound of a whirring machine filled the kitchen and splatters of the cake batter flew around in many directions. Raku shielded himself from the onslaught of the ingredients, noting that his hair was now mussed from the mess.

She really was honest when she said she knew nothing about baking. She had turned on the electric mixer, holding it up and asking him the proper way to use it. Onodera was visibly confused and pressed the power button, allowing the sticky substance that had clung onto the mixer to spread all over the room.

As he pulled the cord to keep it from turning any longer, he took a good look at his companion.

She looked doe-eyed and blinked. At that moment, she was the epitome of cute but not necessarily neat. She had a piece of the cake batter falling down her forehead and past the bridge of her nose. The way she looked at it cross-eyed made him laugh hysterically.

"W-What's so funny?" she asked, puffing out her cheeks. This only served to make him laugh louder.

Pretty soon, she had joined him in his humor, finding the situation rather amusing.

Raku and Onodera were both unaware of the cellphone constantly beeping in his school bag.

* * *

_9:45 p.m._

She knew she looked pretty pathetic. Each time a person would turn the corner into the secluded cinema, she would glance at their direction, looking absolutely murderous yet excited. But every time, she would be met with disappointment and confused and judging stares.

Chitoge sat on one of the cinema's steps, uncaring if the cold got to her. The last thing she needed was being stood up from a date. It hurt that she had told him the significance of this movie to her and that he just decided to blow her off without even telling her why.

The streets were now emptying, and the cinema had already shut. It had been an hour and a half since she started waiting for him. She surprised herself at her patience, usually waiting that long would have her seething in anger. This time, however, it seemed as though it had brought her massive disappointment.

Chitoge stood, blowing out some air. She brought out her cellphone, about to call out Claude when she noticed someone walking past the corner into the street. She lowered her phone and huffed, trying to sound furious.

"You prick! I've been waiting for you for almost two hours! Can't you have the decency to at least _call?"_

But to her surprise and horror, it was not Raku.

* * *

Since her accident with the mixer, things had begun to get playful inside the bakery.

It started off with Raku accidentally tossing her the bag of flour, only causing it to rise and spread all over her face and her hair. He had turned to apologize, but he could barely stifle a laugh at her once again bewildered wide-eyed expression. He wanted to sound sincere, he really did, but he couldn't get his words out as she stared at him in shock.

Then she had retaliated by throwing it back at him.

It then began a full-scale war, and the kitchen was undoubtedly the battlefield. The mess they'd created was one for the books, and both parties were covered in head to toe with various baking items. They were getting no progress done.

By the time it all settled, Raku insisted on cleaning up before they really get some work done.

Things had severely quieted down, giving them the silence to reflect. They were almost completely clean by now, using the washcloths as their towels to clean up whatever they could. However, he noticed a stray confection in her hair.

He walked towards her, chucking out the piece of candy. "There, all clean."

However he hadn't noticed their proximity. They were close enough to see everything in their faces. Onodera stared at him, lips parted as though she was breathless. His heart was hammering in his chest, and he could no longer fight the impulse to lean down – just a few inches – and kiss her.

Her eyes shut.

His eyes shut.

They were a breath away from each other.

_ "Okay, it's a date!"_

But before he could kiss her, Chitoge's face appeared in his mind.

He barely pulled away before the offending chime of the clock blasted in his ears. "Ten o'clock, it is ten o'clock! Ten o'clock!" The bird whistled.

Raku pulled away, not even noticing the heartbroken look on Onodera's face. A part of him panicked. Something felt wrong – it wasn't _just_ that almost kiss. It was something more, something that was happening at the moment.

"I…I'm sorry, I have to go!"

He barely had time to contemplate this feeling because he had already sprinted out of her home.

* * *

_10:00 p.m._

It was not Raku.

Instead, it was a bunch of drunken men with clothes askew, staring at her like she was gold. Chitoge panicked, bringing out her phone again to call her bodyguards, but it was promptly slapped away by the largest man of the group.

He had her backed into the wall, his stinky breath mingling with the air.

"Pretty girl like you getting stood up, huh?" he said, hiccupping now and then. "Don't worry, I could – _we_ could show you a _good_ time."

She saw an opening and quickly kneed the offending man.

Chitoge sprinted away from them, knowing that she could take on one, two and to a certain extent, three men. But there were five of them, fully grown and rather large in physique. She had no chance. The only way to safety was to run and call for help – no one was in the area.

But she felt one of them grab her hair, pulling her back harshly that she fell on her back. They scowled at her, sneered and even spat, but that was nothing compared to the helplessness she felt at the moment. She struggled and screamed as one of them took off her coat, writhing and throwing a few punches and kicks occasionally. It was all futile.

When they laughed and whistled as they ripped at her clothing, she could only stare in the distance, thinking of her knight in shining armour that couldn't save her when she needed him the most.

She began to sob.

_Traitor._

* * *

It was just his luck that the cinema had already been shut, and there were no traces of Chitoge in sight.

He paused to take a breather, praying inside that she already went home. These streets were incredibly dangerous at this time, littered by offending creeps and robbers everywhere.

When he leaned towards a lamp post, he noticed something that almost stopped him from breathing.

It was Chitoge's red ribbon.

He picked it up with his shaking hands.

"Ah young man," an old lady said, approaching him from a door next to the cinema. She looked completely rattled. "Have you seen the woman here earlier? I was very worried for her. I heard a commotion outside of my home, only to find her half-dressed with these men hovering all over her. I was going to call the police but they'd escaped."

Raku could feel the intensity of the quickness of his heartbeat. Ignoring courtesies at this dire moment, he demanded, "Where is she?"

"I don't know. She took off before I could offer her my help."

That was all it took to get him started on running out again.

The streets were empty, and it was only because of the dim street lights that he was able to see the path he was taking. He had to narrow his eyes to see through the alleyways, hoping to catch a glimpse of her blond hair. He needed to find her, quick. An experience like that could ruin her life.

He thought guiltily to how all this occurred because of his selfishness.

He had promised that he would watch the movie with her, but he had broken it just to spend some time with Onodera. He was no better than her mother ten years ago.

As he ran across the empty streets, Raku thought of ways how to make it up to her. She needed to be comforted, first of all, because no one could get through a traumatic experience like that alone. His motivation to find her was stronger than his intent to find those bastards and make them pay for that they did to her.

At the very thought of her being raped, he almost began to cry. The pain he felt for her and the guilt he was experiencing was incredibly overwhelming. He had to focus on finding her before anything else got worse.

Once she was ready and healed back again, he would take her out…on a real date. Perhaps they could go on a picnic. Chitoge had once commented that she had always loved watching the stars atop a hill – it was one of the fondest memories she'd had when she was a child. Maybe they could go to the lake, where they would ride those boats and would coast under the sakura trees during spring.

Anything seemed like a picture perfect scene because it was her he was spending his time with.

He increased his pace, desperate to find her.

Once he looked up, his heart froze.

She stood two meters away from him, her eyes meeting his. Time seemed to stop as he assessed her current state.

Her clothes were torn in all the wrong places, and she had bruises, cuts and red marks marring her skin. Her hair was all over the place, parts of it had been cut. The only thing that was keeping her decent was the trench coat hanging precariously off her shoulders. He realized that it was the same one he had given to her on her seventeenth birthday.

He didn't deserve her. Not in this lifetime or the next.

"Ch-Chitoge…" his voice croaked he reached out to her. He noted that her skin was turning blue. It frightened him. He needed to get her to the hospital quick.

"You promised me…" she whispered, walking towards him in slow steps. He had never heard her sound so broken…so vulnerable. A part inside of him broke. "You _promised_…"

Halfway through her trek, she collapsed.

Raku had caught her in his arms, promising never to let her go.

* * *

**Meiwa Says**: Okay, honestly, I had to decide if I would end it here. I do have half of the next chapter written up, but I'm still unsure whether or not it's best to leave it at this. Anyways, I really love Onodera, just not as a love interest for Raku. Somehow I feel as if this couple would be the endgame. I'd like to think of her as one who would encourage Raku and Chitoge's relationship by getting them into awkward situations.

Well, I'm not really sure how old they are in the manga so I set them to sixteen. So if they'd been together for two years, that would make them eighteen by the time this story starts. The setting would definitely be before they'd graduate.

I'm actually really anxious about this one, so please give me your thoughts, suggestions and I'll try to improve! I realized how my spelling and grammar were so...**off**...so I apologize if I'd make any mistakes!


	2. The Elephant in the Room

**Meiwa Says: **Wow, everyone, I really didn't expect such a warm response from you guys! Reading through your reviews made me even more determined to write more chapters to this story. However I will apologize in advance for the slow updates and slow progression of the story. I do know how this is going to end, though. I'm not as happy with this chapter as I am the first, so I'm sorry if it's kind of a disappointment.

_**Notes:** _To be completely honest, when I first started writing this story I didn't realize the depth of the themes I was going for. As I said before, I had this chapter written up before I even posted the first one but I was so hesitant to put it up and to_ even continue the story_ because I feel as though I didn't do it justice. I know I put up trigger warnings, but the _last thing I want to do is to somehow downgrade _or_ insult the severity of sexual harassment. _I tried my best to make the emotions as real as possible but then I soon realized that no amount of writing I do will even come **close** to the feelings and emotions of a victim or their loved ones. I think I just wanted to get that across, especially since the chapter after this won't be much better in conveying the emotions I want to, so I apologize to everyone. And for my last note: sexual harassment is never, **ever** the victim's fault.

**Warning:** Mentions of rape and sexual harassment.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Nisekoi.

* * *

**The Elephant in the Room**  
_by Meiwa Chinmoku_

The hallways of the hospital were quiet, but not necessarily empty.

In front of Room 135 stood Raku as well as Chitoge's entire 'family', unable to wrap their minds around the incident involving their beloved mistress. Her real family was on a business trip but Claude had informed them that they were on the first flight back. Her father would be back within the day, but her mother's flight had been delayed.

Raku was as still as stone, staring down at the linoleum ground. Since Claude and Tsugumi had arrived, he expected to be dead within a second. But he realized they were too distressed to even _look_ at him. Not one of them had spoken a word; their breaths were the only thing that could be heard.

On other occasions, he would find this scene to be quite amusing. After all, an entire family of gangsters was cramped along the hallway, not looking tough or mean like they usually were. But Raku could find absolutely no humour and no joy in the situation. All he could feel was undeniable agony.

Her doctor, Matsuri-sensei, was perhaps the best of the best. She was ensuring that all Chitoge's wounds were tended to and she informed him that she would take all the necessary tests.

He honestly would rather stay still for his entire life than to face the truth.

Since she'd collapsed, everything was a blur. He carried her, sprinting towards Tokyo General Hospital and demanding for an emergency room. It had been nearly five hours since then and he had yet to move a spot.

Finally, after another grueling hour of waiting, Matsuri came out of the room.

Everyone perked once the doors opened, Claude and Tsugumi instantly crowding her for answers.

"Kirisaki-san has gone through a lot tonight," Matsuri explained. "I will not spare you of any details on her condition. The bruises on her wrist and ankles show that she struggled quite a lot, and could have been successful in her getaway had she not been tied. There are nail marks on her lower abdomen and chest area, perhaps from when her clothing was torn. Strangulation marks were found around her neck and she suffered a mild concussion. That…could have been the death of her."

Raku clenched his fists, opting not to cry. He had done enough for the past hours all he felt right now was severe anger. "How could it be that serious? I found her walking around."

"Is this the first time Kirisaki-san suffered from a severe head injury?"

Tsugumi shook her head, staring down at the ground. "No...a few years ago she had a bike accident. She was treated almost immediately and her doctor informed her that she was going to make a full recovery."

"Perhaps that is why the injuries she sustained were aggravated. After suffering from a concussion, one would need to ensure that they have been treated accordingly and should not perform anything that may worsen their condition. However, in Kirisaki-san's case, she is suffering from Second Impact Syndrome. The brain is more susceptible to internal damage after the initial concussion...even a minor hit could cause irreversible damage. However...I am unsure why she was able to walk so quickly after that, she should have been in far worse pain."

Raku closed his eyes, willing himself to be strong despite his trembling. She...could have _died_. She could have died because of _him_.

"Ojou-sama is determined," Claude intervened. "Once she sets her mind on something, she will do whatever it takes to get it."

Why was she so insistent on walking even after being injured? The damage dealt could have been less worse had she just stayed put. Not to mention, he could have found her faster.

Raku glanced at her door.

_Baka Chitoge._

"Until now, we are unsure of the extent of the damage in her head - Second Impact Syndrome can have terrible effects. Kirisaki-san is lucky enough to have lived through that. She will survive, but there will be certain repercussions due to the stress she inflicted on herself. We will run some more tests, but we cannot be fully certain until she wakes."

Tsugumi, who had now stopped shaking but was obviously both horrified and in agony, stepped forward. She clutched her hands near her chest, eyes red but still watering with new tears. She dreaded asking the question, but it was inevitable. Dodging it would only lead to even more tension.

"Was she…did they?" was all she got out before she sobbed. She averted her eyes to the ground, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle the noises.

Matsuri sighed. Everyone was one their toes, waiting for the answer. It was hard enough to recover from knowing that she was on the brink of death.

"We have done multiple tests on her to ensure accurate results. Her state of undress would suggest what you all presume. We had someone look into the various DNA results found across her body but as of now we do not have a concise report on whether –"

Raku growled, his fists tightening. "Just say it! Was she raped or not?! Stop making this harder for us than it already is!"

There was silence. Their breaths stopped.

The brunette doctor raised her glasses, pursing her lips.

"We tested her for any foreign substances inside her body," she began, noting how irritated the teenage boy was at her lack of bluntness. "As of now, she is clear from such things, thus suggesting that she has not, in fact, been taken by anyone. Kirisaki-san is still clean…however that does not mean she was not harassed."

Claude stiffened. It was a small relief to know that she was still pure, but a nagging voice in his head told him it was far too good to be true.

"There was still male contact in various _areas_ in her body. Her body has evidently been perverted in ways we can only imagine."

Those last few words still hung in the air even after she left. Raku sat on the floor, leaning against the wall as he tried to fight back a fresh onslaught of tears. Tsugumi sat opposite of him, face buried beneath her knees. He knew that she needed comforting, but he felt as if he needed some too.

Claude and the members of the Beehive Gang were crowded around the plastic chairs, discussing something in grave detail. He had maintained a stern disposition, almost as if he was undergoing a business transaction. If anything, it sounded as if they were planning the execution of their next murder, which would obviously be the perpetrators.

Kirisaki Adelt arrived, short of breath and worry marks creasing his forehead. Although he was obviously distraught, he had maintained a strong composure in front of his men. Claude and Tsugumi had bowed lowly, begging for his forgiveness as they'd let their charge out of their sight. However, Adelt merely placed a hand on their heads, smiling at them slightly.

Raku had yet to utter a word even though Adelt had approached him, asking for details. Claude had filled him in on Chitoge's condition and Matsuri came by a little later to give him a more detailed report of her state. Unlike Raku and the others, he had been calmer as he digested the information, nodding at her words. But beneath all that, he knew that Adelt was steaming in absolute rage. It was just in his job description to hide his emotions in dire situations.

Finally, after gathering all his courage, Raku stood and took one gulp. His limbs were shaky from the effort, having been unused for some hours. He walked towards the blond man, catching his attention from his sudden movement.

"Ah Raku-san, Ryuu-san has just informed me that he will be here in a moment to –"

Raku kneeled, bowing until his forehead touched the ground. It was a much deeper bow than Claude's and Tsugumi's – one that would only be used for people who were not worthy to glance at the other's eye.

"There is nothing more I can do but apologize to you, Kirisaki-san. It is my fault that this happened. It is because of my selfish judgments that Chitoge suffered. Nothing I do can ever make up for the damage I caused but I do hope that you can forgive me in the future."

Adelt was nothing short of surprised when the teenage boy bowed to his knees. His eyes softened, thinking that Raku truly was the son of his good friend. Perhaps, if he was truthful with himself, the trip he took here on his jet was spent contemplating ways on punishing him for leaving his poor girl. For the briefest of moments, he had fostered a certain hatred for this boy.

But when he saw the crumpled form of Ichijou Raku, all his anger faded.

How could he berate him when he was doing enough of that to himself? Although he knew Raku was at fault for not meeting her at the designated hour, he was certainly not at fault that those men had no decency in their bones.

He would find satisfaction once he found those said men and introduced them to his fist.

After a few moments, he realized that Raku was beginning to shake. He was certainly expecting to be hit, to be scolded or to be demeaned, but certainly not to be hugged. Adelt had his strong arms wrapped around him which surprised him – this man did not look like the hugging type to him. But still, it gave Raku a semblance of comfort, like a father would to a child. They were both going through similar experiences of having a loved one hurt and having Adelt scold him would not take away any of those horrible things.

It wasn't as if Raku was the one who had done it in the first place. Nor had he even had the intention of doing so.

In the arms of the man he thought would take his life for letting things get out of hand, Raku cried.

* * *

"I'm not going."

"Raku-sama, your father is worried about you. It is best if you –"

"I said, I'm not going Ryuu," Raku repeated in his deep voice. "She is my responsibility and I am her boyfriend. Whatever you say won't make me change my mind."

Claude surprisingly placed a hand over his shoulder. He was glad that the members of the Beehive Gang we all big softies and had forgiving hearts, or surely he'd be decimated by now. It could also be because of Adelt's acceptance of his apology. "Raku-san, it is of best interest that you return home. Ojou-sama will surely be displeased to see you at this state. If my deductions are correct, you have not eaten since yesterday afternoon."

Raku avoided their eyes. "I'll live."

"Raku-sama, I plead you to reconsider –"

"Let the runt do what he wants, Ryuu."

They turned to the voice of the newcomer, Raku's father. The leader of the yakuza was wearing his traditional robes, looking fearsome as ever, but he was carrying with him a beautifully put bouquet. It was strange seeing such a serious and influential man holding flowers however it surely brightened the room.

"Well I've just dropped by to visit. It would surely do no good for our relations if I did not show an iota of care for your daughter, Adelt."

Adelt nodded. "You have my sincere gratitude."

Tsugumi noticed the flowers immediately and bowed. "Arigatou, Ichijou-sama."

"Otou-sama…" Raku called, eyes glancing towards the flowers. Seeing it was very strange, to say the least. The only time he had ever even come close to those '_abhorrent plants'_ was when they both visited his mother's grave. Not on any occasion would his father ever touch flowers. "What…are the flowers for?"

He tossed the bouquet to Claude who caught it effortlessly. "I thought that since I'm visiting, I might as well bring something. It would be nice to put in Chitoge-san's room."

"…Thank you, Otou-sama."

"Of course, son…_anything_ for my future in-law."

Even at such serious moments, his father had the ability to make him choke.

His father then nodded towards Adelt who returned the gesture. Ryuu was beside him in an instant. "I've also come here to collect my rather stubborn aide. Raku, I will have a fresh set of clothes and some food sent. I don't mind you staying here however you got to keep your strength up if you want to be the leader of the yakuza!"

Raku winced.

Suddenly, Claude bowed in front of him. "…Thank you, Ichijou-sama. You coming here…is a testament to your kindness."

The other members of the Beehive Gang bowed as well.

If his father had the ability to look embarrassed, Raku was pretty sure that was how he would look now.

"Alright, Ryuu and I have overstayed our welcome. Adelt…" Adelt turned towards him. "I am also willing to spare some of my subordinates to help deal with those bastards."

"Arigatou…I owe you a lot, Ichijou."

"Hai, hai... Sayounara, minna-san…ikuzo Ryuu."

"Good news," Matsuri said, poking her head out of the door with a smile. Raku was glad for his father's visit – it had somewhat eased the atmosphere, if only a bit. "Kirisaki-san has just regained consciousness. However, due to certain circumstances, I may only allow two people to enter."

Adelt nodded and glanced at him. "Let's go, Raku-san."

"Eh?" he replied dumbly. "Isn't it better for Claude-san or Tsugumi to go?"

"No, please go ahead," Tsugumi insisted.

"We will always be here waiting for her, Raku-san. Take the privilege and greet her. She would want you to be one of the first faces she sees."

"It's settled, then." Adelt let out a hearty laugh, patting his back furiously.

Matsuri led them inside the large room, Raku carrying the bunch of flowers from his father. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. He kept replaying how this scene would happen.

He would apologize profusely, despite knowing that she would not forgive him just yet. Perhaps, she would cry or scream or ignore him completely, but anything was better than the latter. He would stay by her side even if she refused because he wanted to spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her. In time, he knew that she would forgive him, because that's the type of person she was.

The atmosphere inside of the hospital room was weird. His father was right about the flowers. The moment he entered, it was as if he had brought color with him. The entire room was white, even her dressing gown was white. The only contrast was her shockingly bright blond hair. Raku noticed that she didn't look complete without her red ribbon.

Adelt took his daughter's hand, sitting on the stool within a second. Raku found a vase next to her bed, placing the flowers in it.

It took some struggling on her part before Chitoge opened her wonderfully blue eyes.

She looked absolutely drained; her eyes could only open halfway through. Still, despite that, she smiled for her father who was now openly crying, kissing her knuckles tenderly. Raku thought she was wonderful. Even though she was in pain, she wanted to keep her father happy. She wanted to make him smile.

"O-Otou-san…"

That was enough to make the large, muscular man, the leader of the notorious Beehive Gang cry.

"Chitoge…" Adelt whispered. Chitoge smiled serenely, bringing his head closer to her in a half-hug. Her eyes closed blissfully as she let her father cry into her hair.

Raku merely smiled, his heart warming at the scene. It must have been extremely tough and taxing on Adelt, having heard that his only daughter was in the hospital sustaining critical injuries. Regardless of the fact that it was nearly impossible to get to Japan from America within a span of ten hours, Adelt managed…because nothing, absolutely _nothing_ in this world, can top the love of a father for his daughter.

As soon as his sobs died down, Raku knew that the inevitable was approaching. There was no mistaking the anger Chitoge would express upon seeing him – her lying, promise-breaking boyfriend. Still, he'd choose no other time than now to let her release her frustrations on him. It would be better than to ignore the elephant in the room.

Adelt retracted back, kissing both her cheeks affectionately. He now had a relieved smile on his face, a contract to the frown he had sported earlier on.

"Gomen ne, otou-san," Chitoge said softly, casting her eyes downward. "I…let my guard down in the most critical of moments. I disobeyed your orders of having a bodyguard at all times."

The blue-haired teen couldn't contain his confusion. She was the victim in all of this; she should be the last person to apologize. Maybe, all this time he'd misjudged her. A small part of him believed that she was selfish but recent events contradicted what he knew. He then made a resolve. He would do his best to know her better – even more than what he knew now.

"Chitoge…I _never_ want to hear those words again, do you hear? This is not your fault – nor is it Tsugumi's or Claude's or Raku-san's. I _will_ find those who did this to you and I swear that I will take care of it. All I want from you now is to get some well-deserved rest."

She smiled. "Hai, I will father."

Suddenly, he felt her eyes stray from her father's face to his. Time seemed to stop for the moment, having her look at him with those beautiful eyes that he'd never really taken time to notice. Her mouth was slightly agape, and he waited for the tirade that would come out of her mouth. Raku was ready – ready to hear and accept everything she would have to say. Despite what anyone said, he was the most at fault.

He was prepared to hear anything, but not what she really said that day.

"Hajimemashite," Chitoge said. Raku blinked in confusion. "I am Kirisaki Chitoge…and you are?"

He sucked in a deep breath.

Was this some sort of joke that Chitoge was playing? He knew he deserved even worse, but hearing those words ultimately made him fear that it had even the slightest semblance of being true. She had every right to cut him off of her life…but to do it so casually as if they hadn't spent their last two years together honestly broke his heart a little.

"Chitoge, what are you saying?" Adelt said, filling in the gaps of silence. "This is Ichijou Raku."

She scrunched her nose. "Ichijou…Raku-san…?"

The grip he had on the vase tightened. He prayed to Kami that she was really just planning to ignore him because if she had really lost all her memories of him…

"Oh!" Chitoge glanced at the flowers he set on her table. He noticed that his knuckles were white – but she wouldn't notice. He was probably as pale as a sheet by now. "Are those…for me? Thank you, Ichijou-san!"

"You don't…remember who I am…?" Raku began uneasily, afraid of the answer.

But she looked genuinely confused. It was as though she was trying hard to remember, but anything she did would only turn out futile. "I'm…I'm sorry. I recognize your face but…you just don't look familiar to me. Am I…supposed to know him, otou-san?"

Adelt debated within himself whether or not to tell her the truth. She was looking at him with those big eyes – those eyes that could get her way whenever she wanted to. It would be best for both her and Raku for her to remember his significance in her life. However, the last thing he wanted was to overwhelm her with too much information. She had a hard enough time trying to remember him on her own.

Instead, he placed a comforting hand over her head, grinning. "Don't worry about it too much, Chitoge. Rest for now. We will come back at a later time."

"Hai," Chitoge replied, nodding her head. She tucked herself back into the sheets, closing her eyes as Adelt kissed her forehead. As he and a stunned Raku turned to leave, she remembered her guest and called out to him. "Thank you for coming, Ichijou-san. The flowers are very beautiful."

* * *

Matsuri's frown deepened with each word Adelt recounted. Her lips were set in a straight line and her brows were put together. She leaned against her chair with her legs crossed over the other.

"These are the side-effects I was discussing earlier on. The amnesia is most likely brought about by her concussion," Matsuri began. "The stress caused by the traumatic experience could have triggered the amnesia – the case is more commonly known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If this continues on, she may not only be experiencing amnesia, but permanent brain damage from her SIS. It is imperative that she is kept under constant surveillance."

Raku's fear had come true. She had really forgotten him. "But – how could she remember everything? Everything but _me_…?"

"It was by pure instinct that her subconscious blocked the… _source_ of all her distress. Maybe there was an instance between you both that serves as a constant reminder to what happened to her recently. It can also be inferred that you trigger certain emotions within her that stresses her body. Like a vaccine, it takes away that which causes sickness."

"So…I'm the cause of all this? I really am the one at fault?" Raku laughed humourlessly.

Matsuri noticed the strain in his voice. This was also quite hard on the boy. "No. There are certain feelings or emotions she wishes to block out by keeping your memories away. The physical stress that took a toll on her body helped boost this amnesia due to the concussion."

"She _hates_ me…" Raku said with his fists clenched. "That's why she kept all her memories but me. She hates me. After all, isn't that the only emotion someone would want to block out?"

Adelt shook his head. "No, Raku-san. There lies an emotion that human beings would rather do without, but at the same time cannot continue living if it does not exist."

"What? What emotion could Chitoge have so much that would want her to erase memories of me?"

"Love, Raku-san…she loves you."

* * *

**Meiwa Says:** Okay, I really hope I don't get a lot of heat on this chapter. First of all, I know nothing about these medical terms so most of the stuff I put up there are based on information I found on the internet. I really do apologize for the inconsistencies! Also, I know there's just a little bit of the fluffiness going on but I wanted to go deeper into Raku's character. I see him as a person who would take the blow, who would blame himself before other people. That's why I really love his characterization in Nisekoi - he's such a sweet, kind and charming boy.

Personally, I'm not very good at conveying the emotions of guilt or angst. If you see my other works, you can tell I'm more of a fluff person. I know that the themes of this story may be sensitive to some people so if I downplayed or exaggerated the emotions here, I hope you don't get upset.

Okay, lastly, I am so very glad at the warm responses to the first chapter. Really, guys, I keep grinning from ear-to-ear whenever I read your thoughts and suggestions. This chapter may not live up to the standards of the first one, but I promise that I'm just building this up for the last part of the story. This will be a three-shot and there will be lots of time-skips, but also lots of drama and fluff!

_KiT72:_ Thank you so much for your review! I admit, I was a bit hesitant when I was writing Raku's part of the story. Even to me it seemed almost far-fetched that he would forget such a thing. I do apologize for this oversight, but I'm glad that you like the story. Haha, I hope you like how I handled the aftermath here (did you expect it?), but trust me, there is going to be a messier aftermath once things settle down. Your enthusiasm really encouraged me to continue on, as well as the other reviewers. Again, I really appreciate your comments and I do hope this chapter was to your liking.

_BeniKaze:_ Thank you so much, you flatter me too much! I hope you like this chapter!

_Guest(A):_ Thank you! I'll be posting three chapters for this story so watch out for 'em.

_TearfulFriend18:_ Oh goodness your review made me smile like a fool! I can't express my own gratitude for your kind words.

_PrincessHermit:_ Thank you, hope you like this!

_blackwarfare2:_ Thank you, hope I do it justice!

_Guest(B):_ Thank you, I'll try my best.

_12courtney12:_ I was unaware of that, but now I see it too, haha.

_Sanguinistic Nightmares:_ I'm so glad there are so many RakuxChitoge shippers, for a while I believed that there were hardly any and that everyone just shipped him and Onodera. I do see that the ending of the first chapter was kind of lacking so when I reread it again, I just continued writing and writing. Thank you so much, I was really worried that I would get hit by grammar-conscious people or something. I do hope to continue improving so I can bring more joy to this site. Again, thank you and I hope you like this.

_FoxOnPie:_ Oh, well thank you! Was this as unexpected as the first? Haha!

_God arcs:_ Wow, I'm overwhelmed by your response and I am so humbled to hear that. Other than my grammar, my main issue was the characterization of Raku. Chitoge was alright to write since I think I almost understand her character (the tsundere trying to hide her real feelings through violence) but Raku was a challenge to write. His feelings over the two are so confusing so I think I'll try to clear them up in the succeeding chapters. Thank you very much again!

_HaiCamillaAnne:_ So glad you like it! Hope you'll stick around for more!

_passwordrawr:_ You are way too sweet! Thank you for constantly supporting my stories. I'm so glad we have similar OTPs!

_J22701er:_ Thank you, I hope you liked this chapter!

_Guest(C)_: Your review is very appreciated, so thank you!

_YeAh14:_ Hope you liked this chapter too!

Thank you all so very much, also to those who placed this story in their favorites or alert list. I will try my best to update as soon as I can and still bring quality to the table.

**Japanese terms** (I hope I used these right!)

-Hajimemashite: A greeting that could mean _'How do you do'_ or _'It's nice to meet you'_.

-Minna-san: 'Everyone'

-Ikuzo: 'Let's go'


	3. The Road to Recovery

**Meiwa Says:** Hi everyone! I know it's almost been a week since I updated (goodness I'm so sorry), but I got caught up in watching Golden Time. It's amazing, guys! I finished it in less than a day. I recommend it to those who want to watch a college romance-comedy with some angst. Anyways, thank you all so much for your positive feedback and constructive reviews. I made sure to follow some of your suggestions in this chapter.

**Warning:** There are no warnings for this chapter since it's pretty much the recovery stage but just to make sure, the old warnings will still apply. I guess the only warning is that I'm not really happy about this chapter _(and this is really honest now, guys)_. I guess you guys will understand soon.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Nisekoi.

* * *

**The Road to Recovery**  
_by Meiwa Chinmoku_

One month passed and Chitoge was finally allowed to leave the hospital.

Even though she spent her Christmas in the hospital, it mattered so little to her because for the first time in how many years her family celebrated the holiday together. Her school friends all dropped by, giving her various presents and get well cards that made her smile brighter than a Christmas tree.

Raku visited her religiously.

He came by every morning with fresh flowers. She would smile at him, politely referring to him by his last name, and they would engage in silence. Raku would clean out the water in the vase and replace the withering bouquet. Oftentimes she would tease him, claiming he was her gardener and he could do no more than laugh.

He was content seeing her happy once again. The scars around her skin were fading slowly, but they would forever leave a lasting mark that would be a constant reminder of his failure to protect her.

Everyone was surprised at her quick recovery. Her father had immediately contacted a therapist once he heard the doctor's diagnosis. Adelt was afraid she would show the others symptoms soon and decided he would like to help her through it during the early stages of her sickness.

However after a few meetings with the Midori-sensei, it was then concluded that she did not, in fact, have PTSD. She showed no other signs, no recurring flashbacks and no anxiety attacks. The only indication was her amnesia, which was not much to go by. She maintained a happy-go-lucky nature that left everyone wondering if she was bottling all her feelings inside or not.

Soon, she and Matsuri gave the signal that she was fit to enter school as soon as Christmas break ended. Both of them shared their reservations, wondering how she had gotten up so quickly. These cases would usually last for months or even years, they'd explained. Chitoge managed it in a span of a month.

Her physical healing went by much quicker and as soon as she was released from the hospital, she was already out running around the roads. Chitoge barely spared them a glance, rushing all the way home with a bright grin on her face.

Raku knew something was off.

Even when Chitoge was extremely happy, she would never display it so openly. Her smiles were half-forced and he immediately noticed how she was trying to fight off the look of confusion whenever her eyes met his.

Then again…there were times when there would be a flash of recognition and that was certainly enough to make him hope.

* * *

One of the many reservations Kirisaki Adelt and Hana faced was Chitoge's adjustment to outsiders.

For the most part of her stay in the hospital, she was always confined to the comforts of her room, limiting her interaction to the hospital staff, her family and friends. Hana had voiced her concern, wondering if perhaps her daughter needed more time. Chitoge retaliated, saying she was more than ready to take on the world.

So her parents relented, allowing her to return to school on the seventh of January, accompanied by at least five men watching her outside the classroom.

To their utter surprise she was fine and happy as soon as she'd left for school. She was up earlier than usual, humming to herself a tune, and got dressed. Both her parents were sitting at the breakfast table, which was a rarity in itself. Perhaps that made her mood even brighter.

Raku was waiting outside the gates, bag casually slung over his shoulder. It was only until about a week ago did he get a good night's sleep, just in time for school. He had been worrying about her during the entire duration of her stay in the hospital which left him sleepless on many nights.

"Ah, Raku-san!" He insisted that she call him without the honorifics, but she told him she wanted to know him better. "Good morning!"

"Good morning to you too, Chitoge," he said.

"Do you always pick me up in the morning?" Chitoge asked playfully, skipping a few steps in front of him. He wasn't sure where he stood with her now. Adelt insisted that they wouldn't tell her of the recent events to keep her from being too confused.

"Yes."

They walked in silence, the cold air brushing along their cheeks. She was still heavily covered in her coat but she was wearing a smile on her face.

School passed by quickly with no indication of stress on her face. Her classmates greeted her with piteous stares and worried glances, but she laughed it all off, explaining that she was fine and that she was thankful for their concern. Pretty soon, her joyful demeanor rubbed off of everyone and things went back to normal.

…Until Onodera requested his presence at the rooftop during lunch time.

He was nothing short of surprised, to say the least. He hadn't talked to her since that night. Raku was worried about the confrontation of their almost-kiss. His feelings for her were enough to confuse him for a lifetime.

After ensuring that Chitoge was in good hands, he swiftly left the room and headed towards the rooftop.

Onodera was there, fingers laced against the steel fence, facing out into the city.

"You called?"

"Hai…" Onodera turned, revealing the turmoil within her eyes. "I just…wanted to talk about that night, Ichijou-kun."

He nodded, sitting next to her spot while looking in the same direction. "I understand."

"I owe you and Chitoge-chan an apology. Had it not been for my selfish will of asking you to help out, she would not have endured so much pain." Onodera bowed, just like he had in front of Chitoge's own father.

Raku let out a breath. "Onodera…no one blames you for any of this. No one is at fault but those scumbags. Please don't apologize… Chitoge won't like it if you start crying."

He had already noticed that she was beginning to tear up from the way her voice cracked to the way she couldn't look him in the eyes. He felt like a hypocrite – he knew that this was his fault, but settled to agreeing with everyone that it wasn't. It saved time.

She nodded, brushing off the tears. "I still want to ask for your forgiveness for that night."

"Okay, if it makes you feel any better, I suppose I forgive you."

"Thank you, Ichijou-kun."

* * *

Chitoge's eyes brightened upon seeing him enter the classroom, followed by Onodera who was looking down the ground. The crowd that had gathered around her started to whisper, but she paid no heed to their words.

"Raku-san, Kosaki-chan, come sit with us!"

The fact that she had referred to him with the polite suffix was enough to bring chaos into the room.

He had completely forgotten to inform the class about her amnesia.

It was still hard to think about it. Matsuri said that since her amnesia had gone for longer than she anticipated, she estimated that it would take years before she could regain her memories of him back. It was not until she fully recovered – putting all fake smiles and cheeriness aside – that she would be able to accept all the feelings that came with remembering him.

"Ne, Chitoge-chan you mustn't call your boyfriend that!" said one of the girls.

Chitoge was perplexed. She titled her head, looking at Raku. "_Eh_? But Raku-san is only my friend. He _is_ a boy…but he is just a friend."

"So you mean to say that you've broken up?"

"Ah! Chitoge-chan is back in the market!"

"She's available?!"

Soon, the news spread like wildfire. The famous school couple had broken up – and the lovely Kirisaki Chitoge was now back for the taking. Boys gathered rapidly around her, offering her their food and love confessions that obviously set her mind reeling. Chitoge tried to smile them away, shaking her head furiously. The blond was instantly overwhelmed at the insane amount of attention she was receiving.

She tried pulling back and rejecting their offers, but it was as if they were multiplying. She glanced back and forth for a way out, lacking breath. Everywhere she turned, all she could hear were loud voices that echoed in her ears, repeating their words over and over again. Colors began to fade and her palms began to sweat. Her vision swam and she was just about to faint, had Raku not pulled her out of the crowd.

"Leave her alone," he said, pissed.

"Hey, Ichijou, she's not your girl anymore!"

"Yeah, you should learn how to share."

Tsugumi was in front of them in an instant, sporting a murderous glare which made them backtrack. "Ojou-sama should not be treated like an object. Refrain from getting too close to her as she is still recovering. If I see any of you touch her or bother her, you will answer to me."

No one had really seen this dangerous side of Tsugumi. Her protectiveness over Chitoge was evident in the way that she worried for her constantly, but this was a new level. Upon realizing their mistakes, the boys apologized and returned to their seats.

Raku turned to her, holding her shoulders. It was obvious that it had triggered memories inside of her. Chitoge was shaking, clutching her arms around herself.

"Are you alright?" he whispered quietly, as if saying it louder would startle her. She nodded briskly but she was still shivering. "Are you sure?"

"I…I need some fresh air…" Chitoge replied.

Tsugumi nodded at him. "Go take her to the gardens. I'll cover for you."

* * *

The whole time they walked to the gardens, she had her arm around his.

She was still very much shaken at the events that had occurred. Chitoge refused to meet his eyes, keeping them fixed to the ground, watching their footsteps in sync. Her breathing had just about regulated, but from time to time she would have a sharp intake of breath, indicating that she was just not ready to face them again. He could feel the presence of her bodyguards tense, but decided against calling them out. She just wasn't ready for crowded places yet. It was evident in the manner she was loosely clutching onto him, despite needing his support to walk.

As they arrived he felt a wave of nostalgia. It was the place where he had first met her nearly two years ago. When he looked at her he realized she must have felt something too. He was glad, even for the slight recognition. She let go of his arm, her knees wobbling, and settled to sitting on the grass.

"Do you need anything?" Raku asked worriedly, shoving a bottle of water which she refused. He sat next to her but kept a safe distance away. He reached out for her hand, grasping it in his, and was glad that she hadn't pulled away.

Conflicted emotions ran across her face, indicating her confusion. She was distressed, but at what exactly he wasn't sure. They maintained the quietness for a few moments, until he heard her speak. She was softer than he'd ever heard her before, and her voice was nothing short of terrified.

"I…I'm sorry I dragged you out here."

"It's fine," he replied quickly. "You need the company."

She nodded, facing down at her fidgeting hands. He took a sidelong glance at her, worried over her well-being.

"I hope I haven't caused any trouble. The last thing I want is to drive them away…"

"I'm sure they'll understand. You are still recovering, after all. It's only been a month."

There was silence. She looked like she was holding something back, hesitating over her words. The last thing she wanted to do, above all else, was to drive _him_ away – the man who had helped her through the hardest of times, the man who had looked after her, the man who accepted her not remembering who he was. Even so, he was very supportive of everything she did and every time he would protect her, her heart would race. Instead of facing these feelings head-on, she desperately avoided them to prevent further confusion from both their parts. Raku didn't want to be anything but her friend, she understood that. What she couldn't understand was the twinge of disappointment each time she saw him interact with Onodera.

"Ne, Raku-san…I…I don't hyperventilate around people…right?" she asked.

"No, you never do."

"What happened back there was so…_strange_ and _frightening_. It was almost as if everything that happened that night rushed back towards me in full force. I know…being around people is something I'm used to but…"

Raku gripped her hand tighter. "Don't worry about it, Chitoge. I'll always be by your side."

"…Thank you, Raku-san. I'm very grateful."

She was hiding something, as her eyes showed that she was still very disturbed.

"What's bothering you?"

Chitoge bit her lip. "Nothing, nothing's bothering me."

"I've known you for two years. I know you better than you think."

"It…It's just..." She shook her head. "I…I managed to convince myself that I was over it… that I really was okay. It was…so easy for me to smile, so easy for me to laugh."

"Sometimes, the brightest smile can hide the deepest of pain."

"I wish I knew _what_ to do. At that moment, I felt so helpless, so…_caged in_… it was just like repeat of that night." She shivered, looking at her mittens. "It's strange. I don't feel like crying, I don't feel angry. It just all feels…"

"Numb?"

"Exactly." Her nose crinkled in confusion. "I have yet to understand how you seem to know me better than I do."

"Well, we are good friends. Before the incident, you and I would spend a lot of time together." Raku thought there was no harm in telling her parts of the big picture. She had expressed her desire to rekindle their moments together once. "You probably already know this but you're a social butterfly. You like to talk to people a lot and I'm not really an exception."

"How good of friends are we?"

"Very good friends, I should say. I could tell you anything and the same goes for you. We might not have had the perfect friendship but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Raku's eyes looked distant, staring up at the clouds in the sky. A faint smile graced his face and for the first time since she could remember, he looked completely at peace. She blushed at the thought of spending her days and sharing her thoughts with him.

"I never got to thank you for your kindness, Raku-san," she said, sounding totally out of character for the moment. Lately, she'd been saying things he'd never even imagine would come out of her mouth. Although she treated their classmates with more respect than she did him, Chitoge was even more polite than usual. She wasn't her old, fiery self but traces of that girl were still evident. "You've been so good to me since the incident and I don't even know why. I feel guilty that I can't remember you, no matter how hard I try."

He grinned at her. "It's alright, Chitoge, I can't blame you for that. Besides, I'm sure it'll come to you sooner or later."

"I hope it does." Her fingers wrapped around her wrist and she brought it close to her heart. She lowered her head bashfully, cheeks tainted pink. "Every time I see you, I get this intense feeling in my heart. I know you but at the same time, I don't. Whenever I look at you I feel safe, as though if I were to cry you would come running for me. It's strange, really. You…remind me of a little boy I met. I fell into a crevice once and he came running to help me. These…these feelings, I still remember them and each time I do it's as if I remember a part of you, too."

Chitoge raised her eyes, her face glittering with unshed tears. Her smile was gone, instead replaced with a deep frown.

She began to sob uncontrollably so he kept his arms around her. Her tears soaked his shirt in an instant, her fingers were shaking as well as her body, but he was sure it wasn't from the cold. He knew that she'd been bottling her feelings inside – the last thing she wanted was to cause any trouble or worry for her parents. In the past month, she'd done little to no crying. She gave comfort instead of accepting her own. Chitoge had always been a strong woman, but he knew that in this moment, she was just a woman who was severely wronged.

"W-Whenever I think of you…my memories of that night just seem so distant, and the feelings I've hidden just… fade away. I feel as though I could trust you…with my life, I feel…I feel like you would protect me…from anything when it just… becomes too much to handle…and I…I…"

It was like a dam that had burst free. All her frustrations, her fears and her emotions just crashed like the waves of the water. Raku was grateful for her outburst – it was a step in the right direction.

After she had calmed down, her sobs turning into soft sniffles, she peeled herself away from his embrace, severely embarrassed at the tears staining his shirt. He smiled at her in reassurance and she returned the gesture.

"I really am a ball of repressed emotion," she joked, laughing.

He chuckled alongside her.

She beamed again – an angelic smile that would leave anyone gasping for air. The way she looked at him – were her father's words true? Had she truly loved him in that manner?

"Even though… I don't remember you or our times together, a part of me knows that you…you are an important person in my life…" She held her hands together, glancing at the ground. Raku's heart jumped in excitement and he couldn't understand _why_. "One thing I do know is…" Her eyes met his again, and he could just feel himself inch closer on his own accord. "It is _you_ that makes me the happiest."

He kissed her.

He wasn't really sure where it came from or what drove him to do it. All he knew was that every rational thought – every ounce of him that thought of Onodera – just flew away like a feather in the wind. Raku had been trying to figure out these feelings, especially since Adelt's words kept repeating in his head.

_She loves _you_. She _loves_ you. _She_ loves you._

Thoughts plagued his mind intensely, but the moment Chitoge leaned in his embrace, they seemed irrelevant.

Unsure of what to do he let his heart do the talking. He lifted his hand, gently brushing away the tear stains on her cheeks. The other clutched at her waist tightly, afraid of letting go. Wisps of her golden hair tickled his neck and it was only then did he realize how close they really were.

If Raku was completely honest with himself, he would admit that this was nothing compared to the kiss he almost shared with Onodera. At the moment he leaned towards the brunette, he felt his natural instinct pulling him back. Of course that left his mind in a state of calamity – hadn't he waited for that moment for years? Was she not the girl he fantasized about?

_Was she not the girl he really loved?_

When he kissed Chitoge, however, it was the other way around. It was though a divine force pushed him, encouraging him to take her lips in his own. He felt a surge of excitement, confusion and even worry because _how could he not_ when he was afraid of how she was going to react?

The school bell rung, bringing them back to reality.

He pulled away, slowly letting his eyes open to see hers wide open. She was staring at him with her mouth agape, her fingers rising to where his lips were pressed against. Chitoge's breaths were quick and labored and he worried he had triggered her nightmares again.

"Raku…"

He was stunned into silence.

The way she whispered his name undoubtedly sent shivers down his spine, but that wasn't what caught his attention. The recognition in her eyes proved his theory but once he reached out to her, she drew back.

"Chitoge, I –"

"Gomen nasai, Raku…_san_," she said. She had turned her entire body away from him. "I…have to return to class."

"Chitoge, wait –"

Before he had the chance to stand, she was already dashing away.

He wasn't oblivious to the tears in her eyes.

* * *

"I'm sorry…what?"

Kirisaki Adelt pressed his chin onto his intertwined fingers. Behind him, Hana rubbed his shoulders for comfort, obviously displeased.

"The arrangements regarding your fake relationship have been terminated," he said patiently. "The truth behind your supposed relationship has already been exposed to both families, Raku-san, therefore your father and I see no purpose in continuing this little charade. We would like to express our gratitude for your tenacity and patience, despite all that has happened these past few months. You and Chitoge have saved many lives."

The beautiful woman sighed, shaking her head. "What the old man's trying to say is that you are not obliged to interact with Chitoge anymore. She will be escorted to and from school daily and shall be prohibited extracurricular activities until her health has been ensured."

"Does she...know?" Raku asked, voice deeper than usual.

"Yes, Chitoge has been informed of the past events. She also wishes to thank you for your kindness and expresses her joy in having you freed from her responsibilities."

He stared at the ground, fuming in anger. His fists were shaking, nails digging into his skin leaving crescent marks. "Then why doesn't she come and tell me herself? Why do _you_ have to do it?"

"She is not obliged to do so any longer." Adelt noticed the animosity in his voice almost instantly. He had to choose his words carefully. "After all, you are no longer in a relationship."

Those words stung more than ever. He remembered the fight they had a year ago where they had a ridiculous meltdown. She claimed she didn't want to be involved with him any longer and that hurt him – but not more than it hurt him now. Back then it was just in the heat of the moment, where tempers got in the way and clouded their rational thought. However he knew that Adelt was all business – this time it was official.

Ever since their kiss, she had been avoiding him for weeks. He waited for her outside her gates, only to be informed that she had already left ten minutes prior. He tried to catch her eye in the classroom but she refused to meet them. Each time he tried striking up a conversation with her she tilted her head away from him. Their whole class noticed and he even had a few guys come up to him with guilty faces and apologies, thinking they had brought about this fight.

"Screw being her boyfriend – I'm her friend! I would like to personally know why she has been avoiding me for weeks!"

Hana strutted around the desk. She reeked of power and intimidation but Raku knew that she was just a sweet woman underneath it all. "My daughter requests to be protected by her bodyguards to ensure her maximum safety. As her parents, we cannot help but agree with her reasoning. Whether or not she is purposely ignoring you is up to her, I am afraid we can tell you no more than what we know."

"For what it's worth, Raku-san," Adelt said, trying to sound less professional than his wife. "Chitoge has been doing well. Her therapist and doctor come by occasionally to check on her and the recent diagnosis is that she is well both mentally and physically. The damage done to her brain is minimal now, but she must be treated very carefully."

"I…_I_ can protect her, too…"

He believed in those words, truly he did. But he found it difficult to admit to her parents, especially remembering the incident that happened months ago. Even they seemed skeptical about leaving their daughter in his hands, and the constant reminder of his oversight disturbed Raku.

"Maybe it is best, for _both_ of you, to spend some time away from each other," Hana offered gently. "She is still coming to terms with learning to live through a traumatic experience and you must find it in your heart to forgive yourself."

Adelt nodded. "Being together persistently reminds you both of the incident, and unless you both face closure, the memories shall still haunt you."

Raku knew they were right but he couldn't learn to accept being away from her. Ever since she entered his life, she was his constant. He always woke up, remembering that she would be at home, waiting for him to pick her up. She had become part of his routine. Having that taken away from him was something he found difficult to wrap his mind around, but he knew that it was ultimately for the best.

"All right," he said with a deep sigh. "I'll leave her alone."

"This does not have to be permanent, Raku-san." Adelt quickly noticed the despair growing on the teen's face. "You are still welcome into our household. We are just advising you to keep yourself from spending too much time with her."

Raku clenched his fists. He hated how everything was just going downhill.

"It's not like it makes the situation any different, Kirisaki-san."

Ichijou Raku was then escorted out the Kirisaki mansion, taking one last glance at Chitoge staring at him from the window.

* * *

**Meiwa Says:** Really, the only reason why it took so long was because I was so anxious over this chapter. There seemed something really off about the grammar and I just didn't like how it was generally paced. I clearly messed up a lot of emotions here especially with Raku. Don't worry, I'll make sure to patch up any holes in the next chapter.

_FoxOnPie: _I wasn't aware that they already did this before! Since you pointed it out I became increasingly aware of how a lot of people use this for Nisekoi fanfics, haha. But anyways I'm very grateful for the review and I made sure to follow your suggestion.

_PrincessHermit:_ Wow! I'm speechless. Thank you so much!

_passwordrawr:_ I think you're absolutely right! It is my job to make sure that these characters reach out to all of you and I'm so glad you felt it. Thank you very, very much for bringing that up. Anyways, I pray that you and I and everyone else won't experience depression, but to those who do I hope they know that they've got so many people around them. You're right again, it's so hard to convey these emotions when I haven't got the slightest clue on what those people feel.

_HaiCamillaAnn:_ I'm so thankful! Hope you like this, too.

_blackwarfare2:_ I hope I didn't disappoint with this one. I now realized how it's overly-used but I pray that I'll pull it off in the next chapter. Thank you for the review!

_alexbonita_: Hi I'm sorry if you won't understand this but I used a translator to read your review. But anyways, thank you so much! Onodera will be playing quite a big role in the next chapter but I promise I won't spoil anything. Thank you very much for your review!

_HayaaShigure-kun:_ Wow haha thank you so much! There's going to be more drama on the way! _Ganbarimasu_!

_takakane:_ Noted, thank you very much for your review!

_Shifuku:_Thank you! I haven't actually been reading or watching it lately but I've been looking at various mangacaps on different websites - that's all I know. The only one I've read was during the school festival and the Christmas one (it's what made me ship them so much). I honestly feel kinda scared to know who Raku will end up with especially since I heard there's a new potential promise girl. I unfortunately had to cut her out - as well as the other girl, Marika was it? - since I knew so little of their personalities.

Anyways you guys have really made me so happy! Nisekoi really needs more fanfics, the people of this fandom are so nice and supportive I give you all my love!

So the next chapter will be the last. I wanted to do a little preview since you guys are so nice:

* * *

**Snippets of Chapter 4: The Key to Their Hearts**

_"I love you."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_..._

_"The key – to your locket…" she whispered, looking up at him through her hair, "this might be the key to your locket."_

...

_"That is why I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are happy."_

_..._

_"Running away from your problems won't do you any good. Running away from me won't take away our problems. I know that now."_


	4. The Key to Their Hearts

**Meiwa Says:** So here's the last chapter for _Yakusoku!_ I hadn't known that I would be writing four chapters for this, I initially wanted to stop in the first chapter. However it didn't sit right with me that I didn't elaborate on both their feelings, so that's how three more chapters were born! I also just found out that the Nisekoi anime will only reach until twenty episodes - is it going to stop at (spoiler!) Chitoge's realization of her feelings? Because not getting closure will seriously bum me out, unless of course there'll be a second season. Really, there's just so much more room for development for their relationship such as the Christmas scene in the manga. I'm just praying that they'll end it with no questions left.

So this chapter is dedicated to all of you for constantly supporting and eagerly waiting for the next chapters. It's extra long (around 7-9k words!) I'm still debating with myself whether or not to do an epilogue (because I really am drawing a blank here), but I really want to write about their lives after this story.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Nisekoi.

* * *

**The Key to Their Hearts  
**_by Meiwa Chinmoku  
_

The entire classroom was bustling around, dragging along large tarpaulins and carrying huge boxes filled with decorative materials. The student representative was barking out orders, using a megaphone to boss her workers around. Raku found himself in the middle of all the chaos, concentrating on the material he was painting. He was staring at the distance with hazy, unfocused eyes and it wasn't until he felt someone sit next to him did he realize his gawking.

"Do you need help, Ichijou-kun?" Onodera asked, crouching next to the eighteen-year-old. "You've been working hard on our decorations this year."

"Ah, I'm fine…I'm just distracted."

She smiled sadly. She knew _who_ in particular was distracting him.

Onodera Kosaki was a girl who cared deeply about her friends, so she was the first to notice the growing rift between Chitoge and Raku. Raku spent his lunches and free time eating with them, but Chitoge had detached herself from them and gained a new group of friends. Onodera respected her decision, knowing that she had the right to choose her own friends. But she could see the hurt, longing looks they sent each other.

Since the incident before Christmas, she had been trying to get over her crush for Raku. She knew their relationship was a lost cause – despite having many opportunities to move forward, fate always seemed to get in their way. Despite knowing of Raku's affections for her, Chitoge would always hold the number one spot in his heart.

No longer did Raku look at her like he did before. In fact, after their almost kiss he seemed almost embarrassed and ashamed to talk to her. It wasn't until after he stopped pursuing Chitoge did they start talking again.

"Well I'm really excited for this year's play!" Onodera gushed happily, looking down at the signboard he was painting. This year they were staging 'The Wizard of Oz' with her as Glinda, the Good Witch. There was no doubt that Chitoge would be Dorothy, but Raku refused the part of the Scarecrow.

"I know you'll do great out there, Onodera," he said with a genuine smile, leaving her blushing.

Though she tried vehemently to deny herself of her feelings for him, she couldn't say that they had fully disappeared. After all, she had crushed over him for a long time. Still, she could feel only remnants of that crush remaining, indicating that she was beginning to move on.

But she refused to let him and Chitoge wallow in their sorrows and she was determined to do something about it.

"Thank you, Ichijou-kun." Her eyes moved towards Chitoge who was chatting with the director of the play. "Aren't you excited for Chitoge-chan? She will be an excellent Dorothy."

His eyes looked pained. "Hai, she will be."

"It's a shame that you will be unable to watch her perform, Ichijou-kun. You and Chitoge-chan have always had the main roles for the plays."

"I'm sorry I won't be there to cheer you on, Onodera. I have important things to do tomorrow."

She frowned, disliking the detached tone in his voice. He meant what he said – he always did – but it was half-hearted. She was honestly curious if he really had anything to do that time.

Onodera Kosaki was a girl of determination. She would jump off a cliff before she would let situations like these get out of hand.

Raku turned to walk away but she grabbed his arm. The noise that was made upon the contact of their skin reverberated within the classroom, catching everyone's – even Chitoge's – eyes.

"Meet me at the rooftop after school, Ichijou-kun."

As Onodera walked away, she couldn't help but feel guilt at the expression on Chitoge's face.

* * *

The moment he stepped out of the door and wandered into the rooftop, a key was shoved on his face.

He blinked curiously at the dangling yellow object before him, bringing his hands out of his pockets to touch it. The odd pattern of the key was something he'd seen before but obviously made no effort to remember.

Holding this was Onodera with cheeks aflame and mouth quivering.

"What is it, Onodera?" he asked patiently. He already had an idea where this was going.

"The key – to your locket…" she whispered, looking up at him through her bangs, "this might be the key to your locket."

He hadn't thought about the Promise Girl for quite some time, wrapped up in his current problems. He wasn't exactly sure if he still loved the mystery girl since he knew first-hand that feelings could change over the course of years. Regardless, he was still very curious about the identity of the girl and couldn't help but think about what it would be like knowing her.

Although he had suspected that it was either Chitoge or Onodera for years. Despite the appearance of many other keys none of them had been real.

Raku's memories sparked to that night in her bakery. He panicked for a moment, wishing that he had just chosen to return home. With all his mixed up feelings for Chitoge, he wasn't completely ready to face Onodera just yet.

"I…appreciate you coming here, Onodera but…" He gulped. "I don't think it's the right time to do this."

She glared at him – it was a strange sight to see such a shy, sweet girl look angry – and pushed the key closer to his face. "There is no better time to do this, Ichijou-kun!"

"I can't do this. Not when my feelings for Chitoge are a mess. It would be unfair to you, Onodera."

She resisted the urge to smile. His kindness was one of the things she would surely miss out on, but Chitoge deserved nothing less. She had gone through such a troubled childhood that she learned how to depend on only herself. Raku was perfect for her. He would teach her how to rely on others as well.

"This isn't about me at all, Ichijou-kun!"

"Oh?" Perhaps he had misjudged her intentions of inviting him here. She really looked determined to get him to use her key. Knowing Onodera, it wasn't so she could force herself to be the Promise Girl. "So…why are we here?"

"I have… something to confess to you," she said blushingly, suppressing her nervous habits. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders boldly and shut her eyes. Once she opened them, she dazzled him with her brightest smile.

"I love you."

Raku averted his gaze, shoulders slumping. "…I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Ichijou-kun. I honestly wasn't expecting anything from you."

He was startled.

"But you –"

"I…I have been worried for both you and Chitoge-chan for some time now. You and she have always had this bond that it was quite obvious whenever something happened between you two. Ichijou-kun, I know of your feelings for her."

"Yet you still came here to confess to me," he said matter-of-factly. "Why?"

Onodera giggled. "Because I love Ichijou-kun and Chitoge-chan," she said simply. Her eyes wandered to her hands which were clutching the key. "Even though you both are unaware of it, you have both changed me to become a better person. I no longer want to hide from my fears, I no longer feel like a burden. I no longer feel ashamed of being rejected." Her brown eyes gazed at his dark blues ones, and Raku could see her willpower. "That is why I will do everything in my power to make sure that you're both happy."

"Thank you, Onodera but…I'm not sure if this is something even_ I_ can fix. No matter what I do, I can't ever forgive myself for what happened. Even though those bastards have been taken care of, I can't help but still feel responsible for everything."

"I don't think I can help you either, Ichijou-kun, because accepting your own mistakes is what will help you learn to forgive yourself." Onodera held both his hands in hers for comfort. "It will take time to do so, but if you would let me, I would like to help you start."

"Tell me, Ichijou-kun…" Her eyes gazed downwards. "Have you ever had feelings for me?"

"…Yes."

"Is that why you came to the bakery instead of the cinema?"

Raku ran his hands through his hair. "Yes."

"Did the idea of me being the Promise Girl encourage these feelings?"

"…Yes."

She then held out the key for him to see, letting him realize why she was here in the first place. "I want to help you take a step towards your closure. Do you love Chitoge-chan more than the Promise Girl?"

"Yes," he replied with absolutely no hesitation.

"Then this will help ease your conscience."

He nodded, pulling out the chain he wore around his neck. He imagined this moment many times in the past, where Onodera would be the one to open his locket. Never would he have though it would be under these circumstances. Back then, he was praying that she would be the one to open his lock but now his feelings changed completely.

She set in the key, turned it and for a few moments everything stilled.

It clicked.

Then the locket opened for the first time in over ten years. Inside was a tiny plastic promise ring.

Raku closed his eyes, sucking in air deeply. He felt as though a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders, but there was still a pesky feeling in his heart. In other words, he was evidently disappointed. "So…I guess… you're the Promise Girl, aren't you?"

He thought Onodera was smiling just a little too big for his taste.

"Nope!" she replied quickly.

"What? But your key just –"

"That's not my key," she said with a grin. "It's Chitoge-chan's key. I asked her if we could swap them earlier."

His eyes widened, his heart beating quicker. A part of him had always known but refused to accept it. All this time, the girl he had been looking for was right under his nose. "So…that means she's…"

"Yup! Chitoge-chan is your Promise Girl!"

* * *

The play hitched off with no problem and the audience roared with compliments. Chitoge had done a marvellous job playing the innocent but witty Dorothy. She wondered how she hadn't gotten the role of the Wicked Witch, though.

"Chitoge-chan, you did so great!" Onodera gushed happily, holding her hands tightly.

Chitoge smiled gratefully. "You did so, as well, Kosaki-chan! I had to admit it was really hard to keep myself from pinching your cheeks."

"_Eh_, now you're just teasing me!"

The girls burst into a fit of laughter.

"It is a shame that Ichijou-kun was unable to play his part. This is our last school play after all."

Chitoge's blue eyes looked at her feet in sadness. She, as well as everyone else in their class, knew exactly why he refused the role of the Scarecrow. Though she knew they were both trying to avoid each other, it hurt to think he would refuse absolutely any form of contact with her. She didn't know if she repulsed him.

Onodera saw the change in her friend's expression and her eyes softened. "Chitoge-chan…" she said quietly, "have you…told him yet?"

She shook her head.

"I don't think I could…and it isn't because we haven't spoken in so long. I just…think about it and it hurts."

"You have to tell him, Chitoge-chan." Onodera leaned forward, her eyes steely. "If you don't want to do it for yourself, then do it for him. You both are suffering because you don't want to accept what's happened. Chitoge-chan…I can't imagine what you're feeling but please know that ignoring each other won't make it any better."

Though she had hoped to hear those words, Chitoge found it difficult to believe. "Kosaki-chan…I…"

"Please, tell him soon," Onodera urged. "If you don't clear up everything then you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"I want to make things better, Kosaki-chan, I really do. But what if it is best for things to remain as they are? What if it is best to just let him move on completely and forget about everything?"

Onodera knew where this was all coming from. She knew that Chitoge had been in love with Raku for so long and she had to learn how to face unrequited love. Despite being an aggressive girl, Chitoge knew nothing about the matters of the heart. She thought that the most ideal way to do it was through hiding in the shadows, just like what her mother had done. The poor girl had only experienced love in the latter part of her life so the only way she knew how to do it was to sacrifice everything for his sake.

"Chitoge-chan…would you really risk it all just to find out? We…we don't all get chances like these. Ichijou-kun is one of a kind and I'm sure you agree with me. He's sweet, thoughtful and caring to a fault. He might be clumsy at times but it just adds up to his charm. Not everyone has a chance to be with someone like him."

"I don't… know…"

"All right, if you don't want to do it for either of you then please – do it for me. I can't stand seeing you both quietly suffering. I asked Ichijou-kun to meet up with me at the gardens in five minutes. Please…just talk to him."

Chitoge lowered her head. Onodera was giving her the chance to fix everything, but at the cost of her own happiness. After all, she wasn't blind of the girl's affections towards Raku. Maybe she was right – maybe it was the chance she would take to make things right.

* * *

Raku sighed as he sat down on the grass, his long legs stretched out before him. He had already planned to skip out on the school festival that day with the excuse that he was feeling under the weather. It wasn't until Onodera called him, pleading him to meet up with her at the back garden. He didn't know her intentions, but judging from the way her voice quivered he knew it was serious.

Or maybe she was just playing with the strings of her elaborate plan. Despite her innocent disposition, that girl had a strange way of getting what she wished.

He heard the leaves crunch, signalling someone's approach.

"Oi, about time you got here," he said, lazily tilting his head to acknowledge the newcomer. "So how was…the…play…?"

A small part of him was surprised to see Chitoge standing there, but he knew all along he had it coming. Quickly, he shuffled to his feet, letting his eyes drink in the sight.

Since the incident, Chitoge hadn't worn any ribbons even as he got her one for Christmas. Now she was wearing a blue bow that was a bit too large for her head. Her costume fit her snugly and he had to admit that fighting down the blush was quite hard to do.

"It's a nice day, isn't it Raku-san?" Her voice was wistful, light. It felt refreshing. She wasn't looking at him, but rather was gazing up at the beautiful _sakura_ trees. "It just brings back good memories."

He forced his mouth to speak, but his throat was unusually dry. "Why are you here, Chitoge?"

"I'm just fulfilling a last…favor to a friend…" Her hands clasped behind her back as she cautiously walked towards him. She was so close – so close he could feel his fingers twitching at the desire to keep her in his arms and brush his hands through her hair. She had grown explicitly these past few years, her face looking softer and more mature through time. He couldn't say the same for him, though, as he only changed in height.

"Last?"

She ignored his question.

"I have to admit…I was acting really selfish these past few months, ignoring you and not giving you a concrete explanation as to why." Chitoge brought both her hands together. "I honestly wasn't expecting to be hurt by my own actions. I…missed you...a lot. There are times wherein I would get so caught up in thoughts of being with you and then I would regret what I did."

"Why are you really here?" he asked, angry that she had been acting so calmly about everything. Didn't she understand that he was under so much torture trying to stay away from her, especially after coming to terms with his own feelings? Then here she comes, telling him about how _she_ missed _him_! "Have you come to toy with my emotions again?"

"No! It isn't like that at all!" she retorted, her voice pleading.

"Then _what_?! What is it? I have been _trying_ to do my best to atone for my mistakes. I have been doing all I can just so I can gain your forgiveness, but you keep pushing me away without even telling me why. We spent nearly two years together, Chitoge, _two_ whole years! I know you don't remember all that much but the least you could do is act like it was important to you because everything we did was important to _me_!"

She recoiled at his painful words. Her tears felt hot, stinging her eyes and threatening to fall down. "Of course it matters to me! Can't you see that I've forgiven you already? Do you think you're the _only_ one hurt by all this? Don't you think that it pains me not to remember every single moment we had? I _hate_ having to ignore you… I hate doing this to myself!"

"So why? Why do you keep yourself away from me?"

"Because I love you!"

There was absolute silence.

Chitoge was crying and her cheeks had turned completely red. She was furiously rubbing at her cheeks and her eyes, shaking her head as if she were trying to get rid of a bad dream. Raku stood perfectly still, feeling as though his soul had left his body. It didn't even process that he should've walked over and comforted her – everything was a complete blur.

With one last sniffle, her tears had stopped. She refused to meet his eyes, staring instead at the sakura trees once more.

"The blossoms are really beautiful this time of the year," she whispered, catching one petal as it fell. "I really am going to miss them."

All he could say was, "What?"

Her blue eyes met his for the first time in quite a while, and it was then he noticed the emotions playing across them. Raku was truly afraid of what would come next.

"I have been accepted at Harvard University," she said. "It is the best place to take law."

He swore he heard that name before, but couldn't help but ask. "Where…Where is that?"

"United States."

"W-What?"

"I'm scheduled to leave before graduation as I've been invited to a program that will help me settle down in America. It is a great opportunity that I can't pass on. Only a few students are hand-picked by their board."

"When do you…when do you leave?"

Chitoge shut her eyes. "Tomorrow afternoon."

"Ch-Chitoge, I –"

"Please, Raku, don't make it harder than it already is for me to leave. I already accepted their offer, I just…it is what is best for me…for _us_."

"How will it be better?" Raku bellowed. "Do you know how hard it was to ignore you for months? I…I can't even _begin_ to imagine not seeing you every day!"

Despite herself, she blushed. "I know…I admit I can't imagine it either. But can't you agree that we have been suffocating in this atmosphere for far too long?"

"Running away from your problems won't do you any good, Chitoge. Running away from me won't take away our problems. I _know_ that now."

"Midori-sensei also approved of my decision. She said…that trying too hard to remember you causes my brain to send impulses that would cause me pain. She said it would be best to get some fresh air from the source of all my distress – to get away from the place where it all happened."

He took a step back. He thought that by ignoring her, she would at least be free from the burden of trying to remember him. Unbeknownst to him, he was still causing her pain from afar.

"I just…I wanted to come here to say goodbye." Chitoge's voice shook as she said those words. "You have been an important person in my life, and I can't thank you enough for everything that you have done for me."

Raku stepped forward, but she stepped back. "Chitoge, don't –"

She was once again drowning in her tears, but a smile was on her face. "I meant what I said back then…that it is _you_ who makes me happy. Each time I think of you, my heart feels wonderful but at the same time it hurts. I feel as though I could cry and laugh at the same time. I feel free, yet I feel caged. I suppose that's the funny thing about love – it's as real as day and night, but it's as abstract as our dreams."

"Chitoge, you don't have to leave to fix all of this." He was desperate; words were flying quickly out of his mouth before he even realized it. "We can work everything out together, I promise you. That's because I –"

She turned around, prepared to leave after saying her piece. "Once I am strong enough, I _will_ come back. I made a promise to someone a long time ago and I never break my promises." She looked at him with a grin. "_Zawsze in love_, ne Raku?"

He froze. His head screamed at him to move, to do something, to keep her from going away but his body refused.

"I will always love you, _stupid beansprout_."

He reached out to grab her hand, but she was already long gone.

* * *

"Ichijou-kun, are you ready to go?"

There was no answer.

Onodera sighed, her hand lowering back down. Behind her stood Ruri and Shuu and they were just about ready to leave for the airport. However since they were worried about Raku's state, they decided to pass by his home to pick him up – that is if he was willing to go at all.

Next to her, Ryuu shook his head with his arms crossed. "I'm afraid we have not received a response from Raku-sama lately. He only comes out for meals, yet even then he doesn't say anything."

Onodera Kosaki was confused. She thought that by leading them back together, they could avoid a huge misunderstanding. Knowing Raku, he must have exploded upon hearing of Chitoge's plans to moving to America. Those two were utterly hopeless, but she knew that there was no better match.

Their whole class had thrown a party for her earlier that morning, celebrating her acceptance into an Ivy League School as well as lamenting the loss of a great friend. Although Chitoge was laughing and smiling the entire time, Onodera sensed the disappointment in her face whenever someone would mention the absence of Ichijou Raku.

In a little over an hour, Chitoge would be boarding the flight to the States where they may never see her again.

"Ne, Raku we better leave soon," Shuu piped in helpfully.

"He really isn't coming," Ruri said blankly.

Onodera was determined. She couldn't let them part on such horrible terms. She knocked louder again, saying, "Ichijou-kun, please. We'll be late if we don't –"

"Leave him."

"Ah, Ichijou-sama!"

The man that singlehandedly led the Shuei Gumi stood with his arms crossed defiantly, staring at the door to his son's room. Ryuu tried to explain the situation fervently upon noticing that his eyes wandered to the group of teenagers gathered in the hallway.

"Ichijou-sama, please we need to –"

"Leave him," he repeated, his eyes closed. "He is obviously not man enough to face his problems. If that is what he wants then respect his wishes. He will have to live with the regret."

"But –" Onodera tried again, but Shuu got a hold of her shoulder.

"No, he's right. We really should leave if we want to make it in time."

"Ruri-chan, surely…"

The small girl shook her head. "There's nothing we can do, Kosaki. Ichijou wants to be left alone; we can't drag him along with us. I know they ended on bad terms but maybe it is for the best."

Onodera relented, staring at her intertwined hands. All this time she'd been trying to help them, her plans fell apart. It was during the most crucial moments that things had taken a most drastic turn. Was she wrong, then? Did Chitoge not love Raku like she expected him to? After all, she was very certain that Raku felt that way about her.

It had started because of a selfish whim of hers. She wanted to be completely forgiven after that night, so she felt as though she owed it to them and their relationship. Onodera wanted to fix what she had almost broken. Even though Raku and Chitoge both claimed that she had absolutely no part in Chitoge's accident, Onodera felt dissatisfied.

It soon escalated to something she _knew_ had to be done – whether it was by her or anyone else. Their ties of friendship were beginning to unravel like thread. There was an eerie sort of tension every time those two would come close. They were her friends, her dear friends, and it pained her to think that they were quietly suffering on their own, thinking that it would be best for the other. It was by that indication that really cemented Raku and Chitoge's feelings for each other.

However one thing she couldn't understand was how things got so out of hand. When Chitoge announced she was leaving for America she was stunned. Of course, Onodera felt a kick of pride for her friend at having been accepted at such a prestigious school, but a part of her felt that it was half-hearted. Chitoge had expressed her desire to continue her studies in Japan – preferably Tokyo-U. Obviously something that had transpired between her and Raku immediately changed her mind.

She panicked, realizing that Shuu and Ruri were already being escorted out of the manor. Onodera bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before she burst out.

"Ichijou-kun, please!" she cried out, banging on his door. "You know that you want to go – you know that you don't want her to go! Chitoge-chan is important to you, right? So why are you letting go so easily? Do you really want her out of your life forever? You've waited so long for _her_ but now you're just letting it all go."

There was silence. Ruri took her hand, but she pulled back.

"I…I can't _stand_ you both trying to be selfless. Nothing will change unless you do something about it!" Onodera swiped her face free from her tears, her fingers shaking and her façade shattering. "Learn to be selfish, for once." She sighed after hearing no response, her voice coming back to her. "Fine, Ichijou-kun…if you really don't want to go…then at least do something for me…open the locket. There's something there you should see."

"We really should go now, Kosaki," Ruri whispered. Onodera nodded, head down.

"I understand. I hope…he does, too."

* * *

"Ne, ne, no need for tears everyone! I promise I'll come back to visit!"

Her classmates groaned, sniffling even louder.

Kirisaki Chitoge hated lying but there were some instances wherein she knew it was for the best. She had repeated those words constantly – that she would come back, that she planned on visiting once in a while. However her words were lies in her own ears. Of course, the last thing she wanted was to upset more and more of her friends on her last day. She wanted to leave with a smile.

Her eyes darted back and forth, searching for Onodera, Ruri and Shuu. There was one person missing in the equation, but she didn't dare hope that he would come. Next to her, Tsugumi grasped her shoulder.

"Ojou-sama, I'm sure they will be here."

Chitoge smiled weakly. She was glad that she had Tsugumi and Claude with her on her trip. "I hope they won't be too long. Our flight is leaving in fifteen minutes."

Her heart warmed at the sight of all her classmates gathered around her, offering her mementos and whispering memories of their times together. After a couple of months, she had no need for her notebook anymore, deciding to go about things naturally. It proved to be effective as she managed to gather so many friends over the years. They were so sweet, insisting on throwing her a party and escorting her to the airport. Regardless of everything that's happened, there was no doubt in her heart that she would miss them.

"Chitoge-chan!"

Upon hearing Onodera's call, tears escaped her eyes.

There was no one she missed more than them – Shuu, Ruri and of course, Onodera. It took a while to completely warm up to her, but the girl was as sweet as honey. In time, she learned to trust her with all her secrets – all except for one.

She exchanged hugs and contact numbers with them, recalling all their times together and letting out some giggles here and there. Although a part of her ached with longing, Chitoge understood that it was a part of the healing process. It was a step forward in one direction – whether it was right or wrong she didn't know. All she knew was that she was turning everything back and moving forward.

"Ojou-sama…we must depart soon." Claude appeared behind her.

Chitoge smiled in reassurance at her friends, trying to be strong for them and for herself. "Hai, Claude."

Shuu was bawling by the time she reached over to hug him. He had handed her pictures of them together, of pictures of herself and strangely of pictures of him.

"So you won't forget your handsome friend!" he said between hiccups, snot dripping down without care. He leaned towards her. "You can show that to all your hot American friends, too!"

Chitoge giggled. "I will, promise."

Ruri was far less emotional but it didn't mean that she wasn't upset with her decision to leave. She had given her some textbooks and novels, which she thought Chitoge would like. Despite Ruri's initial hesitancy, the blond-haired woman gave her an embrace.

"I wanted to fix things…between you and Ichijou-kun," Onodera admitted to her once they were face-to-face. "I just felt like I owed it to you…for that…night…"

Chitoge brought her arms around the brunette. "I know, Kosaki-chan, I know. But some things are beyond repair. Thank you though, I know you did your best and that's enough for me."

"I'll miss you, Chitoge-chan. Don't forget to write to us, okay?"

"You got it!"

Claude picked up the luggage by her side and she immediately got the hint. She held both her hands to her heart, treasuring every moment before her departure. She had really hoped Raku would get over all of their drama to at least see her one last time. A simple goodbye would suffice. However, she thought that it was partially her fault. Had she been stronger, she wouldn't have needed to do this in the first place.

"Well, I'm off," she said, forcing a smile_. I never saw myself leaving this place again._ She embraced them again, for the last time. "I really will miss you all. Thank you, so much, for everything."

Onodera held onto her tighter, smiling amidst the tears. They said their parting words once more, and she handed Chitoge her present. It was a box of her mother's famous chocolates, with a letter written inside. She knew that Chitoge adored the food her mother made, so it felt fitting that she would give it to her one last time.

Chitoge waved at them all with a bright grin. "Goodbye, everyone!"

Onodera echoed the greeting with all her classmates, but ignored the continuous stream of conversation that followed after.

She kept praying – wishing and praying that he would come to his senses. She had hoped that _it _had opened his eyes to the truth. Maybe he was right – maybe things were beyond repair. Maybe it wasn't fated that they end up together. Maybe –

"_Chitoge_!"

A scream. One call of her name.

It all made her realize that every tear, every laugh and everything they'd gone through was worth it.

Their eyes turned down to a dishevelled boy with blue hair. He was running in top speed to their direction, and Onodera could now hear the excited murmur of her classmates. The crowd parted, making way for Raku to pass through with ease. Perhaps it was due to his outburst – or maybe it was because of the scary mass of yakuza members behind him.

Onodera felt happy tears roll down, and she stifled a laugh with her hand. "Ichijou-kun, I knew you'd come."

"Where is she?" he said breathlessly, eyes wide and alert. She could barely utter a word – the joy she felt for her friends was so overwhelming.

"Raku!" Shuu called, slapping him behind his back. Raku shrugged off the arm, showing his agitation.

"Shuu – where is she? Where's Chitoge?"

"She's boarding her plane now," Ruri replied quickly. Everyone was so caught up in their surprise that they could barely comprehend the importance of the situation. "You must hurry, Ichijou. Her plane leaves in five minutes."

He nodded briskly. "That's enough time."

Raku was about to take off, putting all his previous reservations behind him. But Onodera gripped his collar and pulled him back.

"Ichijou-kun," she extended her hands, holding a small package. "Take this, you'll need it."

The fondness he felt for all his friends rushed over him like a wave. For hours he had managed to convince himself that they would all be better off without her – that Chitoge wanted this in the first place. Wasn't this something they both wanted since they were introduced as a couple? It had taken a lot of guts for him to admit to himself that he was probably just a speck of light in her sun.

But when his friends all came by and urged him to come, something in him snapped. It was as though he was trying to hold onto a collapsing bridge despite knowing that the better way was to let it go and fall. It had taken Onodera's outburst for him to see it clearly.

He didn't want to get over her; he didn't want her to leave. He wanted to fix things but he wanted to do it with her. Just the thought of her not being in the same town, the same country, the same _continent_ allowed him to wake up and face the music. All this time he'd been running away – and now, he was tired. He knew she was too. It was about time they stopped running and start walking next to each other.

Raku sprinted down the long hallway leading to the planes, ignoring the various guards behind him. Ryuu and his other clansmen had that taken care of, so it was the least of his concerns.

He tiptoed as high as he could to take one glance at the large crowd. It wouldn't be too difficult to find her, if everyone else wasn't blond. If only she hadn't lost her red ribbon, then maybe –

He spotted it.

A beautiful pink bow that held her hair into a distinct ponytail; the ends were long and reached above the tip of her hair, he couldn't be mistaken.

His heart warmed at the thought that she would wear it – it had been his Christmas gift to her. He hadn't seen her wear it once after the incident, but now, seeing her with it made him even more confident.

With all the pride and all the affection he could muster, he called out to her.

"_Chitoge_!"

She turned.

"R-Raku?" Chitoge whispered, stunned at the sight of him leaning down on his knees, taking deep uneven breaths. She wearily eyed Tsugumi and Claude already boarding their jet and Raku whose eyes were pleading her to step back.

"Ojou-sama?" Claude said in confusion. "We are ready to –" Before he could finish, Tsugumi frowned and pulled him away, tossing him in the farthest seat from the door.

Chitoge let out an exhale, glad that the mass of people was gone. Ryuu smiled cheekily at her, obviously the cause of it.

"What…What are you doing here?"

"You _can't_ go," he said. "You…You shouldn't go."

Finally, she met his gaze with a stern one of her own. "Why?"

Raku held up his pendant by his hand, showing it with a key inside. "_Zawze in love, ne_?"

"W-What?" She gasped, completely taken aback that the locket was finally open. She tapped the pockets of her coat furiously, wondering with fear whose key it was that opened it. Finally, she brought out her key – or what she believed was her key, until she remembered Onodera switching them out for 'personal reasons'.

"I know you remember me," Raku said, placing a hand over his heart. "When I kissed you that time at the gardens - that was the time you remembered, wasn't it?"

Chitoge hesitated but nodded. "It was…so overwhelming feeling all those feelings for you again, Raku. I just, wanted to get away from it all."

"By leaving?" he questioned. "Did you think that you could escape those feelings forever?"

"No." Her voice shook as she tried to explain the situation. Chitoge knew that she couldn't run away from the ghosts of her past, but she never expected that she would confront them so soon. All she ever wanted was his happiness. "I…I didn't want to hide my feelings for you, Raku, I didn't. In fact…I…I wanted to embrace them…"

He was taken aback. Wasn't that why she had forgotten him in the first place? He had been told that she was trying to run away from her feelings of love for him but now here she was telling him that she was _happy _to be in love with him.

"So then…what are you trying to get away from?" Raku took a step forward, but she shook her head and maintained the distance. "Why? _Why_ are you doing all this?"

Her eyes shut tightly and it took all her confidence to confess. "G-Guilt! Each time I saw you and Kosaki-chan together it…it's so hard for me not to feel…augh! You…you have _no_ idea how terrible I feel. Then, I realize, Kosaki-chan's doing her best to fix everything and…and I can't live with it! I can't live with the fact that you love her! I can't live with the fact that I _hate_ it! I just…I can't…" Chitoge's cheeks were red with shame, and her eyes cheeks were covered in tears. She was shaking so badly, her knees were beginning to bend. She tried furiously to wipe away the tears, but they just kept coming. "I'm sorry, Raku, I'm _so_ sorry. I thought that if maybe…maybe if I left Japan I could get my feelings straight, you know? If I got some time away from you, they would just…go away. It's a long shot but…then I thought, maybe if I was gone…you wouldn't feel obligated to me anymore…so that you can pursue Kosaki-chan."

"I love you." The words flew out of his mouth smoothly, naturally, _genuinely_. It never mattered to him who the Promise Girl was because the truth was - he loved Chitoge. It might have taken many years to figure it out himself but he was sure of it. The key opened up doors to his past, but he wanted Chitoge to be his present, his future. He had never expected her to sacrifice her own happiness for his sake - but that was why he wanted to be with her. He wanted to make up for all those times he made her cry.

Her eyes showed shock and disbelief. "You're just saying that to make me stay."

"I don't care if I am, but everything I say is true."

"Why?" she cried. All her defenses were shattering into a million tiny pieces. She repeated the plan in her head like a mantra, and pretty soon she came to think that her thoughts were true - that he didn't love her. It was hard to fight out something she schooled herself into believing. "Why can't you just let it go? Why do you have to make things more complicated?"

"You promised me a long time ago that if we met, we would be together," Raku explained slowly, afraid that if he said anything wrong, she would slowly fade away. "Why aren't you holding onto that promise, Chitoge?"

"Because…you love the _Promise Girl_, and she's just a thing of the past…I asked you once, would you find room in your heart to love her? Feelings change, people change. For all you know, I may not be the Promise Girl. I don't even…remember you from before." It was _lie_, she knew it was.

He then flourished out a book. "Will this help you remember?"

Chitoge's eyes widened at the cover, more so at the fact that the little girl was wearing a bow very similar to her old one. Memories flashed back to that summer, twelve years ago, where she met her first friends. Something nagged in her mind that there was more to it than their similarities but despite everything she did to remember, nothing came back.

"I don't understand…what does this have to do with the Promise Girl?"

Raku flipped to the last page, pointing at the crude and childish handwriting all over the pages. The ending of the story looked tragic – as the prince and the princess did not get their happily ever after. However, she realized that the story didn't end there – a few pages were torn out of the book messily. Suddenly images flashed in her mind.

_Chitoge remembered how upset she was over a silly little book, one that had ended awfully. Though the prince tried his best to save his dear princess from the woes of the dragon, all his efforts were futile as the princess claimed she did not love him. She remembered crying over how cruel the girl was, thinking that it was unfair he would go through all that and not get the princess's love. She ended up crying because of it._

_"Hey, why are you crying?" A little boy approached her with a smile as bright as the stars twinkling in the sky. Tentatively and shyly, she glanced up. She was not exactly good at making friends. Her only real friend was Kosaki-chan.  
_

_There was something about this little boy, something good and kind. His presence made her feel safe – made her feel comfortable. So she decided to tell him. "I don't like this ending!" she wailed, pointing at the last page which showed the dejected prince. "He…He didn't get his princess!"_

_"_Ha_? You're crying over a book?"_

_Her sobs grew louder._

_"O-Oi, I didn't mean to make you cry! Ahh, okay fine, let me see!"_

_He scooted closer, bringing the book to hover over both their laps. His face was concentrating heavily on the words, nodding occasionally as he began to understand why she was so sad over it. He, himself, could see the unfairness of it all._

_"Maybe…the princess really loved him."_

_Chitoge sniffed, wiping her tears. "B-But…she…she left him!"_

_"Well…" Raku began, trailing off. He then remembered something his father said about his mother."Otou-san says sometimes people leave because they love someone _so_ much!"_

_"Why would they do that? That's just…mean." She huffed._

_"'Cause he said that people make um… sacrifices! Yeah! Because maybe the princess thought that she was bad for the prince or something…or maybe he would get hurt because of her…I don't know! All this love stuff is really confusing."_

_"I still want them to have a happy ending," Chitoge replied haughtily, crossing her arms. It was hard to grasp the depth of his statement for a child of their age._

_Raku seemed to be deep in thought until his face brightened. He snatched the book away from her despite her protests, writing scribbly things all over with a crayon that he had gotten from his pocket. She tried peeking over his shoulder but he turned away from her, keeping his intentions a secret._

_"Mou! What are you doing? That…That isn't my book!"_

_"You said you wanted a happy ending." His grin was large, and his eyes were shut. "So here it is!"_

Her eyes widened as she realized that the book ended with the princess still locked up in the tower. Chitoge wondered absently where the rest of the pages were, but her questions were answered when Raku showed her the locket again.

Carefully, the silver lock opened slowly, revealing papers tucked beneath a pocket. She knew what it was – knew why they had kept it all these years. She couldn't help but cry again, couldn't help her hands as it raised towards her mouth to cover it in shock.

Raku sorted through the pages and began to read. "_The prince beat the big scary dragon and ran up the stairs to save his princess. The key he held opened the door to her room. The princess was crying but then she saw her prince who came to save her. And then, the prince and the princess ran away from the broken tower, promising to be with each other forever._"

Chitoge was trying hard to keep herself from falling. Her knees were weak and her resolve to return to America was even weaker. All these years she had hoped to be the Promise Girl. She knew deep within her heart that it had always been her, but the doubt driven by her insecurities kept her from trying to pursue her feelings any longer. He had made it clear now that he was not in love with Onodera. He was in love with her – the dorky, clumsy, gorilla-like Kirisaki Chitoge. That fact alone made her feel like the strongest woman alive.

Despite herself, despite the emotions whirling around everywhere in her body, she couldn't help but ask him,

"What…What comes after that?"

Raku gave her a loving smile, taking a step forward – towards _her_ – and brought his arms around her waist. Their hearts beat erratically, but they beat together and they beat for each other.

"I don't know," he said honestly with a large, dorky smile. He couldn't resist leaning his forehead against hers sheepishly. "We have to keep writing and wait to see what happens. It's just the beginning of our story."

She smiled softly. "Yes. Yes it is."

They leaned in to kiss, but the moment was abruptly ruined by the various catcalls and whistles of their friends. Blushing heavily, the pair broke away from their rather intimate embrace, glancing with matching irritated expressions at the crowd of familiar faces, gathering a few feet away from them.

"Don't stop! Don't stop!" Shuu urged with his hands, holding up a camera. "_C'mon_, I was just about to get your picture! We can't waste such a golden opportunity."

"I'm so glad…" Onodera whispered with a smile on her face and her hands on her heart.

"I'm so glad you both came to your senses," Tsugumi said with a shake of her head. "Really, if only you had both been honest with your feelings, none of this would have been necessary."

"But I wouldn't have traded such a romantic moment for the world!" Onodera said with a squeal, her eyes shining with stars. "It's like a romance movie!"

Chitoge laughed, feeling light for the first time in a while. She knew she owed it all to everyone – to her family who started this whole fake love idea, to her friends who had gotten out of their way to ensure that they would both be happy…and of course to Raku. He was the light to her darkness. She wasn't blind to his faults, nor was he to hers. They were broken, but they could spend their moments trying to fix their problems.

She could not say that she was over it, could not say that her insecurities were all gone. Chitoge spent most of her days listening to that little voice in her head that she had become accustomed to the doubts she placed on herself. But now, she could confidently say that the voice was beginning to tune down – it was nothing more than a little squeak. It was there, it was still irritating, but for now she could focus more on the more important things in her life.

"Oh, I almost forgot!"

Chitoge watched him fumble through his pockets. Raku then brought out a small yellow plastic ring, one that she was sure she could no longer fit in her ring finger. Yet she understood the importance of that ring – he had given it to her before she left Japan.

"Here…" he took her hand, slipping the ring into her pinky. It was a little tight but fit nicely. She blushed – unused to such genuine affection especially in public. "I know that I promised you this a long time ago…so I want to renew my promise to you. I promise that I will be with you through everything. I will be with you through your healing process. I will be with you whenever you want me, whenever you need me...Chitoge." Unexpectedly he blushed deeply, looking away as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I know that as kids we promised to get married but um…I think maybe we should start over? Not from the beginning cause that would take too much time but not too far down the road 'cause we still need to spend time together and I still need to bring you to dates and –"

Chitoge smiled, embracing him to stop his rant. Even though he had spouted the most romantic words she'd ever heard in her life, Raku would still remain to be the awkward boy she fell in love with. They were a mismatched pair – but they were perfect for each other.

"I know," she whispered, rubbing the ring on her finger. "We have all the time in the world to write our story, Raku."

He smiled, knowing she was right.

* * *

**Meiwa Says:** Okay I have to be honest - that last scene was really rushed so I'm not actually sure if I tied all the loose ends. I picture the ending of this story in a slightly different way but I think I'd like to stick to this one. I know I went down the 'amnesiac whose going to go away after confessing' road which is no doubt a _huge cliche_ in ANY fandom. I'd always been curious of what exactly is inside Raku's locket so I thought up many theories and settled with two. My own personal opinion was the promise ring (cliche!) but then I read somewhere that it could be the ending he wrote for her and I thought that was so cute. I wanted the book to be a reflection of their own personal story - but the difference would be the fact that there is no happy ending, not yet at least. The ending of this story is after all, not the conclusion of their relationship, but the beginning.

I know this chapter may have sounded repetitive and may not have been the dramatic ending most of you were hoping for, but I did try to make it as realistic as me when I say that I am my biggest critic. But I'm proud of what I've written. I feel like the whole point of the keys isn't to expose the one Raku loved a decade ago, but the one Raku loves now.

It has been a delight writing for this fandom! I truly am honored that you found time to review, put it on your alert/favorite list - heck, I'm honored that you took time to read it! If you have any concerns or comments, please don't hesitate to tell me. I shall take all criticisms professionally and use them to hopefully better my writing in the future. Since I feel as though I missed a lot of key points in this chapter, I might right an epilogue to go with the story.

_HayaaShigure-kun:_ Thank you, I'm sorry I take so long between updates. I just want to make the chapters as best as I can! Your enthusiasm (even though it's only through a review) really empowered me to continue this! So ganbatte to you too!

_TearfulFriend18_: Wow you made me incredibly happy by saying that! One of my biggest worries was how they were going to resolve everything between them. I do hope that this wasn't too rushed or too slow. I'm so glad that this story has really interested you in such ways. It's an honor for you to think so as well. Hope I didn't disappoint!

_Guest_: Thanks!

_HaiCamillaAnne_: Haha I felt really bad having Shuu cut in their kiss here but after all that heavy stuff, I just felt like some comic relief was needed. Don't worry, they've got so much more time to do so!

_passwordrawr:_ Thank you so much! I'm also not much of a fan of the harem element so I tried to keep the whole 'love-triangle' thing to a minimum here. Also, thank you for your amazing support! I could never have finished this without you guys.

_objection234:_ Thank you, I hope you liked this last chapter!

_WinkeeCharm: _Thank you so much for your kind words! I do love future family fics so hopefully I can get my mind to start working again. I also hope that other people will start writing for Nisekoi.

_Darthezio:_ I am so incredibly flattered you think so. Many thanks to you!

_God arcs: _Thank you, I hope that I didn't disappoint!

_Alhezeimer_: Thank you. I was hoping it wasn't too serious so I tried lightening it up in this chapter. Hope you liked this chapter!

_Pest-chan_: Sorry I took so long, haha. Hopefully I can try to reduce the time between my updates.

_imafangirlforever_: Thank you! I also share your opinion in believing that Raku and Chitoge would make an excellent couple, despite all their fighting. Our fandom does need more stories and I hope to continue in this contribution. I give you my full support in your future Nisekoi fics! For sure if we keep this up, we'll have an army of Nisekoi fanfics!

_ThePizziaMan_: Sorry about that! I was actually torn between that decision but fought against it. It didn't sit right with my stomach.

_Gregg Kygrykhon_: Welcome back to fanfiction, then! I am so glad that you found this story to your liking. I hope I gave a good impression to this website. Your words really do encourage me to continue writing so thank you so very much for that. It is an honor for me to write this fanfiction in one of my most favorite fandoms.

_Squirtle1996_: Oh thank you very much!

_scientificbreakerEX_: Thank you very much for following this story. I hope you liked this one!

Again, I can't even begin to express my gratitude to all of you for your steadfast support. Your honest and kind words as well as your comments and suggestions have truly inspired me to write more, because I like to write to make people happy. It's a huge accomplishment for me to have you readers feel the same feelings that I put into these words. Thank you again to everyone! This chapter is all for you.


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